Making their debut in a FIFA World Cup, India’s Under-17 team will begin their campaign against the United States of America on October 6, in New Delhi.

The other teams in India’s group are Colombia and Ghana, making it a tough group in their

India will kick off their campaign against the USA before taking on Colombia on October 9. The hosts will conclude the first phase with a match against Ghana, winners in 1991 and 1995, on October 12 in New Delhi. The first match of the tournament will be between Colombia and Ghana (Group A) and New Zealand versus Turkey (Group B) in New Delhi and Mumbai, respectively.

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India, being hosts, were placed in Pot 1, and were the first team to be drawn and placed in Group A.

India would play their preliminary Group A league games in Delhi. The other centres to host matches in the October 6- 28 tournament are Mumbai, Kolkata (which will host the final), Kochi, Guwahati and Goa. Group A, featuring India will now be based in the Jawaharlal Stadium while teams of Group B will be based in Navi Mumbai. The venues for the knockout stage remain as per schedule.

Here’s the draw in full:

Jackson Singh, among the probables who are training under national coach Luis Norton de Matos for the upcoming FIFA Under 17 World Cup, is optimistic that the hosts could create history in their debut appearance in the tournament.

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“I hope we can do our best for the country and we can create history in football,” said the Manipuri midfielder at a media interaction ahead of the U-17 World Cup draw.

Under-17 coach Luis Norton de Matos earlier said the team is targeting a quarterfinal finish in the World Cup, his optimism emanating from the team spirit among the teens besides improvement in technique and tactic

“The ultimate objective is to show the world our progress and growth that young Indian football players can practice fair and great football and that there is hope for an even better future,” he had said.