Fifa has canceled the 2021 Under-17 and Under-20 men’s World Cup tournaments due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The U-17 World Cup was originally slated to take place in Peru and the U-20 World Cup in Indonesia
In a statement Thursday, the world governing body also announced that both countries will be hosting the respective tournaments in 2023.
“As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Bureau of the Fifa Council has decided to cancel the 2021 editions of the men’s Fifa U-20 World Cup and Fifa U-17 World Cup, and to appoint Indonesia and Peru respectively, who were due to host the tournaments in 2021, as the hosts of the 2023 editions.
“The COVID-19 pandemic continues to present challenges for the hosting of international sporting events and to have a restrictive effect on international travel.
“Fifa has therefore regularly consulted the relevant stakeholders, including the host member associations as well as the confederations involved in both tournaments originally scheduled to take place in 2021.
“In doing so, it became clear that the global situation has failed to normalize to a sufficient level to address the challenges associated with hosting both tournaments, including the feasibility of the relevant qualification pathways,” the statement added.
Ghana’s Under-20s, the Black Satellites, were hopeful of securing a return to the World Cup after qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations via the Wafu Zone-B Cup last weekend. The 2009 champions last played in the 2015 edition.
Black Starlets, the Under-17s, had also been camping in preparations towards the Wafu-B qualifying tournament to the Afcon.
