Another Football World Cup In India? Government Green Lights AIFF To Bid For 2020 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup 

After successfully hosting the FIFA U-17 Men's World Cup in 2017, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) is now planning to host another footballing event soon. The AIFF has received government’s green light to bid for the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup in 2020, the Times of India reports.

The AIFF has already submitted an expression of interest to FIFA, and once they submit the bid, they need to ensure they get the required guarantees from the union government before FIFA gives the go-ahead for the tournament.

Now AIFF will need to submit the ‘no-objection certificate’ from the government and submit it to FIFA along with the bid document with the necessary guarantees.

Sports Secretary of India, Rahul Bhatnagar said, “The sports ministry has given a no-objection certificate to the AIFF which it had been asking for. They said it’s a prerequisite thing to be submitted with the bid document, so the government has given them the document”.

The green light means now AIFF will need to focus on the financial hurdles as Bhatnagar said the government has refused to commit to the AIFF’s request of financial grant of Rs 50 crores for the tournament which is required the upgrade the existing infrastructure.

He said the government would finally decide once AIFF submits the financial blueprint detailing what for and how the federation wants to spend the money.

According to an inside source, the ministry believes that since the U-17 World Cup was hosted recently, most of the infrastructure is ready and more money would not be required for development.

The proposed World Cup consisting of 16 teams will be played across four venues, including New Delhi. The Praful Patel-led body is confident they will be able to convince the government for the grant once they successfully submit the bid.