The Fifa U-17 World Cup UAE 2013 mascot, Shagran kicked off the 100-day countdown to the tournament, after the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) announced the sale of venue packages.

The 15th edition of the tournament will takes place across six cities – Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Dubai, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah -  from October 17 to November 8.

Mohammed Abdulla bin Bdoua, tournament director, said: “Preparations are well under way for staging the FIFA U-17 World Cup in less than four months. We are expecting thousands of fans to attend the three-week festival across the UAE and excitement is on the rise both at the LOC and among our partners as we edge closer to the tournament.”
 
The early bird venue packages are available ahead of the official draw on August 26, when the 24 qualified teams will learn who they will face in the group stages of the competition, said a statement.

The venue packages allow fans to purchase a ticket for every match of the tournament in their selected host venue at a discounted rate, it said.

A total of 52 matches will be played over a three-week period in six of the UAE’s top stadiums.

The final 24 qualified nations will begin the tournament in six groups of four, with the top two teams in each group automatically qualifying for the Round of 16. The four best third-placed teams from the Group stages will progress to the knock-out stages. – TradeArabia News Service