Kenya to bid for 2020 U17 World Cup hosting

FKF president Nick Mwendwa says Kenya will bid to host the 2020 U17 World Cup. PHOTO/Timothy Olobulu

Nairobi, Kenya, Mar 18 – Kenya will bid to host the 2020 FIFA Under-17 World Cup, Football Kenya Federation president Nick Mwendwa has disclosed.

Mwendwa said the federation will present its bid documents in June 2018 during the FIFA congress when the bidding for the 2020 junior tournament opens, while exuding confidence Kenya has all the necessary ingredients to bring an international tournament home.

He added that Kenya hosting a successful African Nations Championship (CHAN) next year will be vital to show the world it has the capacity to run an even bigger tournament.

“FIFA fully funds this tournament so it is just a matter of informing the government and getting their support. We will present our documents and hopefully we get the chance of hosting this youth championship,” Mwendwa said.

He remains optimistic everything will be complete in time for next year’s CHAN while adding the confidence CAF has in the country has been vital.

“The Local Organizing Committee has been hard at work ensuring we are on course. We have a CAF delegation coming in June and this time we can’t manage to have excuses. Things must be in check. I am glad that construction is ongoing for the various venues and I know we will host the tournament successfully,” Mwendwa added.

He says he will be heading to the CAF headquarters in Cairo in a month’s time to sign the host federation agreement.

Meanwhile, the federation boss has let it be known that Kenya voted for the new CAF Head Ahmed Ahmad, adding he was happy ‘their camp’ had managed to bring change into African Football.

He is confident that Ahmad’s presidency will open more doors for success of the game in the country.

“We started from the top with Infantino (Gianni) coming in at FIFA and now we have Ahmad (Ahmad) at CAF. It is the wind of change that has been blowing which started in Kenya when we came into office. There is so much for Kenya and the region with the change at the helm,” Mwendwa noted.

The CAF elections had threatened to rip the continent apart with countries divided over incumbent Issa Hayatou and new comer Ahmad. Sources intimate that Kenya’s chances of hosting CHAN lay on the balance in the event that Hayatou was re-elected after it emerged Mwendwa was in the opposing camp.

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