NEW DELHI: Ever since world body FIFA confirmed that its president Gianni Infantino would not be attending the opening fixture of the Under-17 World Cup, the question doing the rounds has been whether the government would go ahead anyway with an official launch function.
Better sense appears to have prevailed within the government and the Sports Ministry has finally decided to cancel its original plan of having a grand inauguration that would have seen Prime Minister Narendra Modi declaring open the first FIFA event on Indian soil, which was scheduled for October 5 at the capital's Dhyan Chand Stadium. The ceremony could have cost the government upwards of Rs100 million.
However, Prime Minister Narendra Modi could be present at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium when Colombia play Ghana and India play the United States on the opening day - October 6, Calcutta Telegraph reports.
"There is likely to be a shorter ceremony on October 6. It could include a speech by the Prime Minister and handshakes with the footballers present," an AIFF official told the daily.
Asked about the matter, Injeti Srinivas, secretary, Sports Ministry, told Telegraph: "There will be a ceremony on October 6.
"The Prime Minister could be present. We will bring schoolchildren from all over the city to cheer for the home team."
Current indications are that busing in of schoolchildren is critical to ensuring that there are enough spectators in the stands as even though all of India's matches will be held in the capital, ticket sales have been a damp squib thus far.
The ministry, meanwhile, is happy over the AIFF's decision to field the core of the under-17 squad in this season's I-League after adding a few under-19 players in the squad.
The ministry has not only agreed in principle with the idea, but could offer financial help as well to sustain the team for Tokyo Olympic qualifiers in 2019.
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