FIFA Awards 2007 World Youth Championship To Canada-Canadian Soccer Association

Tuesday, August 10, 2004

Ottawa, Ontario - At a media conference held in Toronto today, the Federation Internationale de Football Association, FIFA, announced the 2007 edition of the FIFA World Youth Championships will be staged in Canada.FIFA Vice President and CONCACAF President Jack Warner of Trinidad and Tobago, confirmed that the FIFA Emergency Committee, at its meeting held in Zurich on August 6, unanimously awarded the Championship to CSA.“It gives me a great deal of pleasure to confirm that this awarding of the 2007 FIFA World Youth Championship has been taken by FIFA as a result of the Emergency Committee meeting,” stated Warner. “Recent meetings between FIFA and CSA have led to agreement on most issues related to the staging of this event and as a result of this and the decision by FIFA to stage this Championship in Canada, the construction of Varsity Stadium can now fully proceed.”In his letter to CSA President Sharpe, FIFA President Blatter praised the Association for the “…outstanding organization of the inaugural FIFA U-19 Women’s Championship in 2002 and the professional approach that you and your team has taken in requesting to host this tournament. We thank you for your kind cooperation and very much look forward to working with you for the 2007 edition of the FIFA World Youth Championship.”A major factor in FIFA agreeing to move the timetable forward concerning awarding this event to CSA was the recent decision by the Governments of Canada and Ontario on May 21, 2004 to financially support the development of Varsity Stadium with a joint $35 million contribution to this project. The only condition cited in the awarding of this grant was the requirement by FIFA to stage the World Youth Championship in Canada in 2007. “As a result of today’s announcement, we believe that FIFA has acted with unprecedented speed and that this shall now allow the University of Toronto, The Canadian Soccer Association and its other partners to proceed with the construction of this state of the art, 25,000 seat, $80 million stadium so that it will be ready to host the Championship’s official opening ceremonies and opening match featuring Canada, tentatively set for July 1, 2007,” concluded Warner.“On behalf of the 900,000 playing members of CSA, I want to thank FIFA for the unique way in which they have responded to our request to host this event,” stated CSA President Andy Sharpe. “The faith and trust they have invested in the CSA will be repaid with energy and commitment in ensuring that this U-20 Men’s World Youth Championship will be the best ever event in the history of FIFA. We will spare no effort over the next three years to achieve success and will now commence immediate work with FIFA to ensure we move forward with speed to begin immediate work on this, the biggest event CSA has ever held. ”The FIFA World Youth Championship is a three- week long, 24 nation, 52-match tournament featuring the best young 20-year-old players in the world. It is the second largest event staged by FIFA after the FIFA World Cup, including such graduates as Maradona, Saviola, Luis Figo, Rui Costa, Bebeto and Dunga as well as Canada’s Craig Forrest and many members of the current Men’s World Cup Team including Julian de Guzman, Paul Stalteri, Atiba Hutchinson and Iain Hume. Last held in CONCACAF in 1983 in Mexico, Canada’s most recent participation in this event occurred last December when its squad had its best ever finish, losing to eventual silver medalist Spain on a golden goal in the quarter finals in the United Arab Emirates.The Championship will take place in six major stadiums in at least four major regions across Canada with the tentative dates for the tournament set for July 1-22, 2007.