FIFA officials kick off inspection tour of venues in Nigeria proposed to host 2020 U20 Women’s World Cup

The inspection team will visit venues in Lagos, Benin, Asaba and Uyo.

A FIFA inspection team has arrived in Nigeria to inspect venues which have been proposed to host the 2020 FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup. 

Nigeria is in the race to secure the hosting rights for the 2020 FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup after submitting a late bid. 

Despite the late bid, Nigeria is one of the favourites to get the hosting rights if the FIFA inspection team is impressed with the state of the venues proposed. 

Four FIFA officials, Christopher Exley, Sara Jane Booth, Kliment Taseski, Rhiannon Ceirwen Martin and Heyral Kaj Jurgen were received by top officials of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) on Monday, August 5 in Abuja. 

The five-man inspection team will make a detailed inspection of the hosts' venues, training grounds, hospitals and stadia earmarked for the event.

Lagos, Benin City, Asaba and Uyo are the proposed venues for the tournament. 

According to the NFF, the team will the inspection in Lagos on Tuesday, August 6 with visits to the Onikan Stadium (match venue), St. Nicholas Hospital and Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (referral hospitals), Teslim Balogun Stadium, National Stadium Legacy Pitch, Eagle Club, Campos Square and the University of Lagos Sports Centre (training sites) before a courtesy call on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu at the Government House in Alausa.

The team will fly to Benin City same day to inspect facilities at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium (match venue), Western Boys College and University of Benin Sports Centre (training sites) and the Edo Specialist Hospital and University of Benin Teaching Hospital (referral hospitals).

Asaba and Uyo will be next on Wednesday, August 7 when the Stephen Keshi Stadium, the proposed match venue in Delta State capital will be inspected. 

 The training sites are Asaba Squash Courts and St. Patrick’s College while the referral hospitals are St. Luke’s Hospital and Asaba General Hospital.

The Godswill Akpabio Stadium (match venue), Ikot Ekpene Stadium and Godswill Akpabio Training Pitch (training sites) and Ibom Specialist Hospital and University of Uyo Teaching Hospital (referral hospitals) will all be inspected in Uyo. 

NFF boss Amaju Pinnick, General Secretary Mohammed Sanusi will accompany the inspection team all through the tour.

After the tour, the inspection party will then fly to Abuja on Thursday for a meeting with the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Youth and Sports, Olusade Adesola (representing the Honourable Minister) and a courtesy call on His Excellency, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (GCON) at the Presidential Villa."