Delhi likely to miss marquee matches as FIFA keeps eye on post-diwali air

THE CAPITAL is likely to miss out on the opportunity of hosting the marquee matches of the prestigious FIFA Under-17 World Cup later this year following the football federation’s concerns over the “extremely high” pollution levels in the city after Diwali.

With the tournament scheduled to be held from October 6-28,theall-importantknock-out games will be held after Diwali, which falls on October 19 this year. So these matches are expected to be held at the other five venues — Navi Mumbai, Margao, Kochi, Guwahati and Kolkata.

The tournament director for the local organising committee, Javier Ceppi, said they have studied the capital’s air quality statistics for the “last six to seven years” and are analysing the data before taking a “conscious decision” on the issue. “The match schedule is not finalised yet. One of the reasons for that is the pollution. And pollution in Delhi is a serious concern... particularly after Diwali. We all know this,” Ceppi told The Indian Express on Tuesday.

While Delhi will not be stripped of all matches, it is staring at the possibility of hosting