FIFA Vice President Jack Warner announces on May 21, 2009, the cities that have been selected to host the FIFA Under-17 World Cup to be hosted in Nigeria between October and November, 2009.

Nigeria not ready for U-17 World Cup

Agency Reports

The world football governing body, FIFA, has said that Nigeria, host of next month's Under-17 World Cup, is not ready for the event.

Speaking to BBC Sports in Cairo, Egypt yesterday, the vice-president of FIFA and chairman of its U-17 committee, Jack Warner, said Nigeria must use Egypt's preparations for the U-20 event as a catalyst to help Nigeria conclude arrangements.

Threat

FIFA at one stage threatened to move the tournament from Nigeria because of organisational difficulties.

In contrast, they have praised the planning for the U-20 World Cup, which is due to kick-off on Thursday in Alexandria.

"This should serve as a catalyst to help Nigeria to be ready," Warner said on Wednesday.

"As I speak to you now Nigeria is not yet fully ready. I hope that some of this (Egypt's planning) will pass off on to Nigeria," he said.

Kick off

The U-20 showpiece kicks off with the hosts, Egypt, taking on Warner's native Trinidad and Tobago in the opening game.

Warner also said that the absence from Egypt of stars like Italy's Mario Balotelli, will not affect the tournament.

"In this competition you will see stars being created," he said.

"[Lionel] Messi was not born in Barcelona, Messi was born from this kind of competition. Michael Owen, all these guys, they are made stars from this event."

Efforts to get the Local Organising Committee to react to the story yesterday was futile.

The Nig'09 World Youth Championship has been shrouded in controversy since 2006 when Nigeria accept the bid to host.

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Reader Comments (7)

Posted by Akpata Kaikai on Sep 24 2009

If una like make una loose the hosting right. Wetin e go profit me? Na food I dey find.

Posted by kayman_2007 on Sep 24 2009

What a pity for a country regarding himself as a giant of AFRICA (NIGERIA). The major problem of this country is political issue. Right calibre of poeple does not given the chance to hold the right position. For instance, Sani Abacha stadium in Kano State does not have what it takes to given the host right becuase the standard of the picth and other vital area is not o.k. It will only takes GOD intervention to host the competition

Posted by Oyaki on Sep 25 2009

The insecurity in the nation is enough to loose the right even if we can not boast of constant power supply.We shall continue to pray for the nation ,however our leaders must prove their worth so they can have their names written in gold otherwise the nation may be heading to its waterloo.

Posted by Uncle Livy. on Sep 25 2009

It is not surprising to hear that a whole Nigeria is not yet ready to host the world after getting the hosting right since 2006. All they were looking for is how their bank accounts could increase not hosting the world. What a government in power!

Posted by Jeremy on Sep 25 2009

politics has characterised all facets of our national life. it makes no difference if we loose it.

Posted by Dexter Tunde Cole, London UK on Sep 26 2009

It's quite a shame that we can't pull something like this off quite easily. Nigeria has hosted bigger events than this. Hosting things like this give the country the opportunity to build lasting monuments and infrastructure for use after the event like the hosting of FESTAC in the 70s. I was at many matches in the U-20 World cup in 1999 and was proud to be a Nigerian. We did it then, ideally, we should be able to do it better now. The people in charge should be arrested and charged with treason and bringing the country's name to disrepute. For the politicians and sports adminstrators who want to steal money, doing it right would have given them a better opportunity to steal more money and peopel wouldn't even mind so much.

Posted by yomi on Sep 27 2009

Jack Warner is bending over backwards for the ill prepared Nigeria to host the tournament.He should give the hosting rights to another nation as the country is bedevilled by lack of infrastructure and epileptic lights not to mention political problems.