India is all set to host the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup, which gets underway on October 11. A total of 16 countries will feature in the tournament with matches taking place at three venues - the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Margao and DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.
Here's everything you need to know about the event:
What's the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup all about?
Apart from the main World Cup, FIFA organises age-group tournaments for both men and women. The U-17 Women's World Cup is an opportunity for promising footballers to showcase their talent and experience the joy of playing and winning a World Cup for their country at a young age.
The tournament is held every two years. The first U-17 Women's World Cup took place in 2008 in New Zealand and this will be the seventh edition.
India had earlier hosted the U-17 Men's World Cup in 2017, which was won by England after they beat Spain in the final.
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When are India's matches at the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup?
By virtue of being the hosts, India made it to the main tournament without having to play the qualifiers. Coached by Thomas Dennerby, India are in Group A along with the United States of America, Brazil and Morocco. Tanzania and Morocco are also making their debut in the tournament.
All of India's three group stage matches will take place at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar. Navi Mumbai will host the final on October 30 while the semi-finals will be played in Goa on October 26.
India vs USA on 11 October at 8 PM
India vs Morocco on 14 October at 8 PM
India vs Brazil on 17 October at 8 PM
Who else qualified for the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup?
Group B: Germany, Nigeria, Chile and New Zealand.
Group C: Spain, Colombia, Mexico and China.
Group D: Japan, Tanzania, Canada and France.
The top two teams from each group will make it to the quarterfinals.
India were originally selected to host the 2020 edition but it was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, they were chosen as the hosts for the 2022 edition.
What is India's squad for the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup?
Goalkeepers: Monalisha Devi, Melody Chanu, Anjali Munda. Defenders: Astam Oraon, Kajal, Naketa, Purnima Kumari, Varshika, Shilky Devi.
Midfielders: Babina Devi, Nitu Linda, Shailja, Shubhangi Singh.
Forwards: Anita Kumari, Lynda Kom, Neha, Rejya Devi, Shelia Devi, Kajol D'Souza, Lavanya Upadhyay, Sudha Tirkey.
Who is India's captain?
Although coach Dennerby has not named a captain, Astam Oraon is likely to lead the team. She captained the team in the recent matches during the exposure tour to Spain.
What are India's chances of reaching the quarterfinals of the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup?
It's going to be a hard task for India to finish among the top-2 spots in their group. USA and Brazil are two of the best teams in women's football and regularly qualify for the senior as well as age-group World Cups. Morocco are also expected to pose a tough challenge for the Indians.
Who are the past winners?
Spain are the defending champions having won the previous edition in 2018. North Korea's teams dominated the tournament, winning twice in 2008 and 2016, and making it to the semifinals in 2010. South Korea won the title in 2010 while France and Japan lifted the trophy in 2012 and 2014 respectively.
Quick facts about the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup
- Manchester City forward Deyna Castellanos, who plays for Venezuela, scored 11 goals in two editions of the U-17 World Cup. She won the Golden Boot award in 2014 when she was just 15 after scoring six goals. She added five more goals to her name in 2016.
- South Korea's Yeo Minji (2010), North Korea's Ri Un-Sim (2012) and Spain's Lorena Navarro (2016) have scored the most goals - eight - in a single edition of the World Cup.
- Germany, Canada, Japan and New Zealand are the four teams to have qualified for all the editions of the U-17 Women's World Cup.
Where can I watch the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup?
Sports18 will broadcast all the matches on TV in India. The live streaming of the games will be available on Voot and JioCinema.