The union cabinet Thursday approved a proposal for submitting guarantees sought by the AIFF from the central government for their bid to host the 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup.
The football tournament is a prestigious event and would be held in India for the first time, if the All India Football Federation (AIFF) succeeds in its bid.
The AIFF has proposed holding matches in five States: Delhi, West Bengal, Maharashtra, Karnataka and one among the states of Assam, Goa and Kerala.
"While the expenditure for upgradation of stadia (Rs.95 crore) will be provided as additional central assistance to the state governments, a sum of Rs.25 crore is kept as a contingency to ensure smooth conduct of the tournament," said an official statement.
AIFF and football's world governing body FIFA have agreed to bear the entire expenditure of hosting the tournament. The amounts required are to be raised through sponsorships and other commercial agreements.
The proposed U-17 World Cup would encourage more youngsters to participate in sports and also help develop football in the country. It will also promote tourism, the statement pointed out.
