Kofar-Soro upset by NFF’s exclusion of north from U-20 Women’s World Cup
Aformer Katsina Director of Sports, Alhaji Aliyu Kofar-Soro is upset that no state in the north has been listed among the cities that have been picked by the Nigeria Football Federation to host matches of the 2020 FIFA U-20 World Cup.
Nigeria is highly favoured to host the 10th edition of the World Championship and an inspection team from the world’s football governing body is presently in the country to assess facilities that the nominated cities, Asaba, Lagos, Uyo and Benin have to offer.
The FIFA officials Christopher Exley, Sara Jane Booth, Kliment Taseski, Rhiannon Ceirwen Martin and Heyral Kaj Jurgen arrived Lagos on Monday and are expected to round up their assignment with a courtesy call on the Vice-President Prof. Yemi Osinbanjo on Thursday in Abuja.
Speaking to Daily Trust yesterday, the sports administrator expressed shock that even Kaduna State that recently hosted the finals of the Aiteo Cup was not considered by the football federation.
He said in the past when Nigeria hosted international championship, the venues were evenly spread to ensure that every part of the country was represented.
Kofar-Soro therefore wondered why the present leadership of the NFF did not deem it necessary to maintain the tradition.
“I am really disappointed that no single state in the north is going to host matches of the 2020 FIFA Women’s World Cup. This is surprising because the Ahmadu Bello stadium Kaduna recently hosted the Aiteo Cup final.
“When Nigeria hosted the FIFA U-20 men’s World Cup in 1999, Kaduna, Kano and Bauchi among other cities in the south were host cities. The same happened again when Nigeria hosted the FIFA U-17 World Cup in 2009.
“How can Nigeria host a World Cup and all the matches will be played in one section of the country?. Where is the unity?. This decision is completely wrong and should be reviewed,” he said.
He also noted that the exclusion of the north is nothing but gross injustice and disrespect for the region that has continued to play key roles in football development in the country.
Kofar-Soro therefore called on football stakeholders in the north to ask the NFF to explain why the region will be denied the opportunity to host the world, if the bid is eventually won.