New Delhi: Starting October 6, hosts India will join 23 top footballing nations at the biggest stage in youth football – FIFA Under-17 World Cup. It will be India's first appearance at a FIFA World Cup, thereby becoming the 18th Asian team to participate in the tournament, after Iraq in 2013.
India will be the fifth Asian country to host the U-17 World Cup, which will mean more editions of the tournament held in Asia than in any other continent. China hosted it in 1985, Japan in 1993, South Korea in 2007 and the United Arab Emirates in 2013.
GROUPS
Group A: India, USA, Ghana, Colombia
Group B: Paraguay, Mali, New Zealand, Turkey
Group C: Iran, Guinea, Germany, Costa Rica
Groud D: North Korea, Niger, Brazil, Spain
Group E: Honduras, Japan, New Caledonia, France
Group F: Iraq, Mexico, Chile, England
FORMAT
Top two teams from each group and four best third-placed teams qualify for the Round of 16, followed by the quarterfinals, semifinals, third-place playoff and the final.
FIXTURES (Group Stage, IST)
Oct 6
Group A: USA vs India (8pm), Colombia vs Ghana (5pm)
Group B: New Zealand vs Turkey (5pm), Paraguay vs Mali (8pm)
Group F: Chile vs England (5pm), Iraq vs Mexico (8pm)
Oct 7
Group C: Germany vs Costa Rica (5pm), Iran vs Guinea (8pm)
Group D: Brazil vs Spain (5pm), North Korea vs Niger (8pm)
Oct 8
Group E: New Caledonia vs France (5pm), Honduras vs Japan (8pm)
Oct 9
Group A: Ghana vs USA (5pm), India vs Colombia (8pm)
Group B: Turkey vs Mali (5pm), Paraguay vs New Zealand (8pm)
Group F: England vs Mexico (5pm), Iraq vs Chile (8pm)
Oct 10
Group C: Costa Rica vs Guinea (5pm), Iran vs Germany (8pm)
Group D: Spain vs Niger (5pm), North Korea vs Brazil (8pm)
Oct 11
Group E: France vs Japan (5pm), Honduras vs New Caledonia (8pm)
Oct 12
Group F: England vs Iraq (8pm), Mexico vs Chile (8pm)
Group A: Ghana vs India (8pm), USA vs Colombia (8pm)
Group B: Turkey vs Paraguay (5pm), Mali vs New Zealand (5pm)
Oct 13
Group C: Costa Rica vs Iran (5pm), Guinea vs Germany (5pm)
Group D: Spain vs North Korea (8pm), Niger vs Brazil (8pm)
Oct 14
Group E: France vs Honduras (5pm), Japan vs New Caledonia (5pm)
Oct 15: Rest Day
FIXTURES (Round of 16, IST)
Oct 16
Runners-up Group A vs Runners-up Group C (Match 37)
Winner Group B vs Third Place Group A/C/D (Match 38)
Oct 17
Winner Group C vs Third Place Group A/B/F (Match 39)
Winner Group E vs Runners-up Group D (Match 40)
Winner Group F vs Runners-up Group E (Match 41)
Runners-up Group B vs Runners-up Group F (Match 42)
Oct 18
Winner Group A vs Third Place Group C/D/E (Match 43)
Winner Group D vs Third Place Group B/E/F (Match 44)
Oct 19-20: Rest Days
FIXTURES (Finals, IST)
Oct 21 - Quarterfinals
Winner Match 43 vs Winner Match 42 (48)
Winner Match 38 vs Winner Match 41 (45)
Oct 22 - Quarterfinals
Winner Match 40 vs Winner Match 39 (47)
Winner Match 37 vs Winner Match 44 (46)
Oct 23-24: Rest Days
Oct 25 - Semifinals
Winner Match 46 vs Winner Match 45 (49)
Winner Match 48 vs Winner Match 47 (50)
Oct 28 - Podium Matches
Third-Place Playoff: Loser Match 49 vs Loser Match 50
Final: Winner Match 49 vs Winner Match 50
SQUADS
A total of 21 players each feature in the squads of 24 participating nations. Here's the COMPLETE LIST.
VENUES
Six venues across the country will host 52 games during the biggest international football tournament India has ever hosted. While India will play their Group A fixtures at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Delhi, five other stadiums in Kolkata, Mumbai, Goa, Kochi and Guwahati will play hosts. Here's the COMPLETE GUIDE TO SIX VENUES.
INDIA GUIDE
Besides making its debut at a FIFA World Cup, India will return to the finals of a FIFA competition for the first time in 57 years since appearing in four consecutive Olympic football tournaments from 1948 to 1960. Here's the COMPLETE GUIDE TO TEAM INDIA.
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