Kerala matches in danger: FIFA gives stern warning ahead of Under-17 World Cup

FIFA are miffed with the Under-17 World Cup Local Organising Committee (LOC) in Kerala over their continuous non-adherence to the world football governing body's guidelines. With just three and a half weeks away for the grand football tournament to start, the matches at the JLN Stadium in Kochi could get shifted out.

FIFA had asked the LOC to ensure that the local business establishments operating at the stadium, shut shops from September 15 until the end of the tournament, as a security measure. 

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Clearly flouting the orders of FIFA as well as the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA), owners of the JLN Stadium in Kochi, the local business establishments approached the Kerala High Court and managed to get a stay order, reports Manorama.

If steps are not taken by the end of the day, the FIFA could be looking at a new venue and the entire state of Kerala could be in for a major embarrassment.

The interesting thing is that the tickets for the opening match of the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Kochi -- between Brazil and Spain on October 7 -- is already sold out.

The FIFA have laid down strict guidelines for the Under-17 World Cup LOC to follow. The proposal of having an opening ceremony in New Delhi, too, was dismissed as the FIFA mentioned that the lavish money reserved for the singing-and-dancing and Bollywood-affair opening ceremony can be used for the greater development of football in India.

Fixtures info: JLN Stadium, Kochi