Mumbai, April 30 (IANS): Polished to dazzling perfection, the FIFA U-20 World Cup trophy is about to set off on a tour around New Zealand, the host country of the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2015.
The glittering trophy - once held aloft by footballing superstars like Diego Maradona and Lionel Messi - will start a nationwide tour at the top of New Zealand’s North Island, before making its way down the country.
The trophy will stop at 50-plus locations on the North and South Islands, before finishing up with a festival of football-related activities in Wellington, New Zealand’s capital city, May 30 -- marking exactly one year until the official start of the FIFA U-20 World Cup 2015.
The trophy tour begins in Waitangi, in the beautiful Bay of Islands of New Zealand’s Northland, before travelling the length and breadth of the country stopping in at towns, schools, host cities - Whangarei, Auckland, Hamilton, New Plymouth, Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin - and other tourist hotspots.
Hailed as one of the biggest sporting events in the world, the FIFA U-20 World Cup will see 24 international teams take part in 52 matches, in seven host cities around New Zealand in a bid to be crowned champions.