Caribbean Sports Network

NEIGHBOURS North and South Korea have both arrived in Trinidad and Tobago for the FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup, scheduled to run from September 5 to 25. North Korea, winners of the inaugural Under-17 Women’s World Cup in New Zealand two years ago, came to Trinidad in two groups, on Friday night and Sunday morning, while South Korea landed at the Piarco International Airport yesterday afternoon.

The third team arrive for the World Cup, South Africa, did so last evening.

Today, five squads are due to land in Trinidad — Germany and Nigeria are each expected to arrive at 1.25 pm, Chile and Mexico are each scheduled to reach at 4.15 pm and, at 10.30 pm, the Japanese are scheduled to touch down on these shores.

And seven participants are scheduled to arrive tomorrow — Venezuela (at 11.25 am), New Zealand (1.25 pm), Brazil (4.15 pm), Ghana, Spain, Canada and Republic of Ireland (10.35 pm).

With the FIFA officials based at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Port-of- Spain, the teams will be staying at three locations — the Crowne Plaza Hotel (also on Wrightson Road in Port of Spain), Hilton Hotel in St Ann’s and the Mt Irvine Bay Hotel in the sister isle of Tobago.

Work is feverishly apace at the five major stadia — Hasely Crawford (in Mucurapo), Ato Boldon (in Couva), Manny Ramjohn (in Marabella), Larry Gomes (in Arima) and Dwight Yorke (in Bacolet) as television crews, as well as workmen, go round the clock to ensure the tournament kicks off without a hitch.

The teams will have a variety of venues to use as training grounds, including Presentation College Ground and Woodford Lodge (both in Chaguanas), Queen’s Royal College Ground and St Mary’s Ground (both in Port-of-Spain), Arima Municipal Stadium, Fatima College Ground in Mucurapo, WASA Ground in St Joseph, UWI Spec I and II (in St Augustine) and, in the sister isle, Montgomery Recreation Ground, Plymouth Recreation Ground and Shaw Park in Scarborough.

Group “A” comprises hosts Trinidad and Tobago, Chile, Nigeria and North Korea; Group “B” features Germany, Mexico, South Africa and South Korea; Group “C” involves New Zealand, Venezuela, Spain and Japan while Republic of Ireland, Brazil, Canada and Ghana are the four teams in Group “D”.