New Delhi, February 19: The stage is set for the future stars of women's football as the match schedule and host cities for the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup India 2020 were unveiled by FIFA and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) on Tuesday alongside the official slogan for the tournament.

With only 258 days to go until the action gets underway, Ahmedabad, Bhubaneswar, Guwahati, Kolkata, and Navi Mumbai have been confirmed as the five host cities for the tournament.

Sixteen teams featuring the rising stars of women's football will compete across 32 matches to lift the coveted trophy in Navi Mumbai on November 21.

Following the launch of the official emblem in November 2019, the unveiling of the five host cities and the match schedule marks a major milestone for the tournament as fans in the host cities and across India prepare to welcome the future stars and heroes of women's football.

Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs Kiren Rijiju said, "It gives me immense pleasure to congratulate the five cities hosting the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup India 2020. As India prepares to host yet another FIFA event, I look forward to the support from the whole country in making this tournament a rousing success.

Our Indian U-17 women's team will be playing in a FIFA tournament for the first time. It is a proud moment for the nation and we will provide all possible support to ensure its success."In another significant announcement, the Official Slogan - Kick Off The Dream - was also unveiled at a press conference in Delhi.

Building on the passion and excitement generated by last year's FIFA Women's World Cup in France, as well as the legacy left by the FIFA U-17 World Cup that was hosted by India in 2017, Kick Off The Dream represents a powerful message that aims to encourage and inspire both men and women in India and beyond to pursue their dreams and help to kick start a new era of growth for women's football in the country and around the world.

Sarai Bareman, FIFA Chief Women's Football Officer, said: "Today's announcement of the match schedule, host cities and Official Slogan for the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup India 2020 represents a major moment for the tournament and football fans across India and around the world."

"As we look to build on the incredible success of last year's FIFA Women's World Cup in France, as well as the legacy left by the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2017, the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup in India provides an exciting opportunity, not just for the development of women's football, but for fans across India and worldwide to watch the next superstars of the women's game," she added.

Praful Patel, LOC Chairman, and FIFA Council member added: "The announcement of the match schedule is an important moment on the road to the tournament as we not only know which cities will host what number of matches, but fans too can start saving the dates for this November. I am confident that the five host cities will do a wonderful job hosting the best young footballers in this important tournament.

"Roberto Grassi, FIFA Head of Youth Tournaments, said: "With five host cities and 16 teams playing across 32 matches, the stage is set for the rising stars at the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup India 2020. Tournament preparations are well underway and approaching their final stages, and we are excited to work closely with the LOC to bring the tournament to life. We are confident that India will deliver a truly spectacular FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup later this year while providing the players with a platform to perform at their highest level."

The key dates for the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup India 2020 include: Opening match - November 2 Quarter-finals - November 12 and 13Semi-finals - November 173rd/4th-place playoff and final - November 21.

Group-stage matches will be played in four host cities Ahmedabad, Bhubaneswar, Guwahati, and Kolkata with the knockout stages also taking place in four cities Ahmedabad, Bhubaneswar, Kolkata, and Navi Mumbai. The winners will lift the trophy at the Dr DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai on November 21.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)