FIFA U-17 World Cup: India need just 6000 more to break China's attendance record

Courtesy: PTI

New Delhi: Come Saturday, India will become the proud hosts of best-attended FIFA U-17 World Cup in the history of the tournament. Despite Indian colts making an early exit in the ongoing 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup, football fans continue to turn up in huge numbers to witness the future stars in action across the nation.

India now need just 6000 more stadium attendance to break the record China created in the inaugural edition in 1985. With two matches still remaining in the competition — final and third place play-off — the India event will become the best-attended FIFA U-17 World Cup in the history. It will be one record which will take ages to break.

Both the matches will be held on Saturday (28 October).

According to report, the second semi-final at the DY Patil Stadium in Mumbai, where Spain defeated Mali 3-1 to set up a final date with England, saw a turnout of 37,487 to take the overall tally to 12,24,027, which is just 6,000 behind the record total.

The final attendance at the Saltlake Stadium, Kolkata, is all set to be a full house of 66,687 with all the tickets sold out well in advance.

Relocated in less than 48 hours' notice, the Kolkata fans did not disappoint as the organisers recorded an official attendance of 63,881 for the England-Brazil semifinal today.

The record attendance at this edition has been in the quarters between Brazil and Germany here.