The Local Organising Committee and Fifa have just kicked off a final round of inspections of the facilities ahead of the official draw, which is set to take place on August 26.

Sheikh Nahyan bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, Minister of Culture, Youth and Community Development, chairman for the General Authority of Youth and Sports and chairman of the LOC, has stressed the importance of the Local Organising Committee’s (LOC) role to put on an extraordinary Fifa U-17 World Cup this October, during a meeting with LOC, Fifa delegates and media.

Sheikh Nahyan said: “The Emirates boasts a state-of-the-art infrastructure and world-class sporting facilities that allows us to stage international tournaments such as the Fifa U-17 World Cup. This is one of Fifa’s oldest and biggest international tournaments and bringing this event to the UAE is a natural fit.”

“The UAE has hosted a series of international sporting events over the years and a common goal that we continuously strive towards is putting on successful events that support our country’s efforts in making its mark in the global arena.

"We are a nation that is passionate about football and with the world’s best U-17 teams arriving here in two months, we are confident that this will be an unforgettable tournament for our fans, teams and the UAE as a proud host nation,” he said.

“It is crucial that we operate as one football family and work together to be able to stage an outstanding tournament that we are all proud of. Preparations for the tournament are in full swing and we are making good progress on a number of key areas with our partners,” added Sheikh Nahyan. - TradeArabia News Service