FIFA has given Nigeria until January next year to put in place necessary facilities to avoid losing their bid for hosting the Fifa U20 Women’s World Cup in 2020.
ASBnews reported that Nigeria is in the race to secure the hosting rights for the women’s tournament after they had put forward a bid before the deadline in September 2018.
Despite the interests from India and South Korea, the world football’s governing body is looking beyond the Asians for the event billed for October 2020.
In August, the Fifa inspection team visited Nigeria to run the rule over its facilities, brightening the country’s chance to become the first African nation to host a Fifa women’s event.
In spite of Fifa’s consideration, the West African nation risks losing their bid over inadequate facilities, but sports minister Sunday Dare says they are doing all possible to meet the set conditions.
“We have been in constant touch with the Fifa team, they were here sometimes in August we hope they will return soon,” the sports ministry boss told media in Abuja on Thursday.
“We are looking at a single city hosting, likely going to be Lagos. The NFF and the Ministry have been reviewing some of the requirements that Fifa needs us to have in place, which are eleven practice pitches, two major stadia and of course a few other requirements – medical facilities, security, network and all of that.
“We are reviewing it, we are looking at it, within the space of time that we have. At some point, we will be able to communicate with Fifa.
“We are going to be very realistic. We have between now and January to meet up with everything they require.
“We will look at it within the limit of time and our resources, and then we can both reach a joint decision with Fifa to say will Nigeria be ready at that point in time.
“It goes beyond being given the rights. We must also have the facilities up and running.”
Nigeria has participated in all the previous nine editions since inception in 2002, and reached the final in 2010 and 2014 but lost to Germany on both two occasions.
Click Banner To Get N100,000 Bonus Now!
When you register on 1xBet using this promo code asbnewsng, you can unlock a fantastic bonus offer of N100,000! Don't miss out on this exciting opportunity. Try it now!
Founder/editor-in-chief – ASB News. If you’d like to get in touch with me, feel free to follow any of my social links below.