World Football governing body (FIFA) Secretary General Fatma Samoura has said the federation will support Sierra Leone if they bid for the right to host the 2018 Under-17 Women’s World Cup. (WOMEN’S GAME…SLFA boss Isha Johansen & FIFA Scribe Fatma Samoura)
Samoura made this statement during her recent visit to Sierra Leone where she requested a meeting with the country’s President Ernest Bai Koroma, sports ministry officials and executive committee members of the Sierra Leone Football Association.
In her meeting with members of the press to climax her two-day visit in Freetown, Madam Samoura said: “I bring good news about the possibility for Sierra Leone to host the next FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup.”
“I have promised President Koroma that FIFA will support Sierra Leone if they bid. We’ll make sure that they have all the tools and mechanism and the means you need to get that competition being hosted by the country.”
Madam Samoura said it an opportunity for Sierra Leone to host such tournament which will be the first African nation to do so since its inception in 2008 when New Zealand hosted it.
Trinidad and Tobago, Azerbaijan, Costa Rica and Jordan have all hosted the 16 team’s biennial international women’s youth football championship and the FIFA Secretary further revealed that she has got the assurance from the country’s sports minister to supports the idea of having the tournament in the West Africa nation.
“I’m sure we’ll be linking up with the SLFA President Isha Johansen to make it a reality and when I come to Sierra Leone next time I hope it is to declare to the rest of the world that Sierra Leone has been successful in bidding to host the 2018 U-17 Women’s World Cup,” she said.
Sierra Leone has never hosted any senior or junior major international football tournament under the umbrella of FIFA and possibility in winning such bid would be a big boost for the country.
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