April 19, 2024 22:47 (IST)
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Jordan to host the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup Jordan 2016
Amman, Aug 23 (IBNS): The biggest sporting event in the country's history, the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup will be held in September 2016 in Jordan.
Sport is hugely popular in Jordan and football incites passions like no other discipline, with tickets always hard to come by when the national team are in action.
Whether the occasion is a FIFA World Cup qualifier, an AFC Asian Cup encounter, or even a local club match, the country's fans make their presence felt in large numbers – meaning that stadiums ought to be buzzing when the finest young talents in the women's game gather to chase global glory.
The topography of Jordan, which has a population of 6.7 million, is extremely varied. Spread out over 89,213 square kilometres, it is a part of the world that is also rich in history and features artefacts from several ancient civilisations, having been the site of some of the very first human settlements. Due to its position at the crossroads between Asia, Africa and Europe, Jordan has always been strategically important down the years.
The country's climate is Mediterranean in the north and west, and arid in the south and east, with an average temperature between 12C and 15C. As a result, conditions ought to be ideal during the tournament, making it possible to organise a number of activities in addition to the games themselves.
One of the central pillars of the Jordanian economy, tourism brings the nation around $3bn a year. Highlights include the archaeological city of Petra, recently chosen as one of the 'new seven wonders of the world'. Visitors can also bathe in the sacred waters of the river Jordan or the Dead Sea, and enjoy the Dead Sea salts. The Dead Sea is the lowest point on Earth, while the country is replete with mosques and old churches.
Other places of interest include site of Jesus Christ's baptism -- Bethany beyond Jordan, the ancient city of Jerash in the north and the Roman theatre in the beautiful centre of the capital, Amman, not to mention the spectacular, vibrant landscape of Wadi Rum and its rugged terrain resembling the surface of the moon. Lastly, the coastal town of Aqaba is the perfect place to go for scuba diving, snorkelling or swimming in the Red Sea.
Despite a relative shortage of resources, Jordan places a high priority on youth and sport compared to many Arab nations, with the country's large number of sports complexes bearing witness to that commitment. Due to the level of interest, Jordan has enjoyed success in both football and basketball, two of the sports that are most popular with young people. There is significant fan fervour for martial arts as well, and Jordan counts several world champions in this field.
The sports complexes were mostly built in the 1960s, and the King Hussein Sports City is the oldest in the Arab world. It contains a number of stadiums and arenas, including the Amman International Stadium, which will hold matches during the tournament. As interest in sport spread throughout Jordan, more and sports cities began to be built, and thus Irbid and Zarqa will also have the honour of hosting U-17 Women's World Cup games.
Put simply, football is the most popular sport in Jordan across all age groups. Jordan have appeared in just one FIFA tournament to date: the FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007, where they put in strong performances despite being drawn in a tough section featuring Spain, Uruguay and Zambia.
Women's football was officially launched in Jordan in 2004, when the national team was first put together. With a core of players developing alongside each other, the side gradually acquired enough experience to enter FIFA Women's World Cup and Olympic qualifying, as well as the Asian Games. The growth of the women's game then led to the creation of U-19, U-17 and U-14 teams, in addition to the opening of scouting centres for six to 14-year-olds.
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