India put in official bid to host FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2019

India have put in an official bid to host the FIFA Under-20 World Cup football event to be held in 2019. All India Football Federation president Praful Patel confirmed the bid at a press conference in Delhi on Tuesday.

Patel confirmed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been formally invited to the FIFA U-17 World Cup. 

Patel also announced plans for a National Centre of Excellence to be set up in India. Patel, who is also the Local Organizing Committee (LOC) chairman for the World Cup in India, revealed that work towards making this a reality is set to start by 2018.

"We're setting up a National Centre of Excellence which will have world class facilities.The work is set to commence in 2018 and we'll surely have a world class National Centre of Excellence" announced Patel.

Patel was speaking at a press conference organised by AIFF ahead of the U-17 World Cup. India U-17 team are set to be part of the mega-event after having qualified as hosts. Stressing the importance of preparations before the World Cup next month, the LOC chairman said that there have been no comprises with preparation process.

"We have put the best foot forward and we have done continual scouting before the World Cup" Patel informed. FIFA Executive committee will meet in Kolkata from October 26-28. The meeting will take place towards the end of the first FIFA event in the country.  

FIFA tournament director Javier Ceppi, India U-17 national team head coach Luis Norton de Matos were the other speakers at the press conference.