FIFA's COVID-19 working group recommends postponing U-17 Women's World Cup in India

FIFA-Confederations working group has recommended postponing the upcoming U-17 Women's World Cup slated to be held in India.

This recommendation came in the first meeting of the FIFA Confederation's COVID-19 working group, which was recently established to deal with the consequences of the coronavirus pandemic.

"To postpone the FIFA Under-20 Women's World Cup Panama/Costa Rica 2020 - originally scheduled for August/September 2020 - and the FIFA Under-17 Women's World Cup India 2020 - originally scheduled for November 2020. New dates will be identified," FIFA said in an official statement.

Earlier, FIFA, opting not to send the alarm bells ringing over going ahead with the tournament, had said that the situation was being closely monitored.

"FIFA is currently monitoring the situation regarding COVID-19 in India in close collaboration with the Local Organising Committee, as well as other key stakeholders including the AIFF, Ministry of Sports and Youth Affairs and relevant authorities in the country," FIFA said in a statement to ANI.

"With public health and safety in mind, FIFA is also working with the Local Organising Committee to identify any potential impact on preparations for the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup India 2020, as well as finding alternative solutions to upcoming events that were planned in India in the lead up to the tournament," it added.

The FIFA Women's U-17 World Cup is slated to be held in India from November 2-21 in five cities -- Navi Mumbai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Bhubaneswar, and Guwahati.

The coronavirus pandemic has forced many tournaments to be postponed. The Tokyo Olympics 2020 have also been pushed to next year.