Blatter, Warner give World Youth Cup briefing

FIFA president Joseph Sepp Blatter will join with organising committee chairman Jack Austin Warner, CONCACAF president and FIFA vice-president, for a pre-tournament news conference in Doha, United Arab Emirates today.

The top duo will outline the 2003 FIFA World Youth (Under-20) Championship, which will kick off on Thursday and continue until December 19. This tournament was originally scheduled for March 25 to April 16, but was pushed back because of  the conflict in Iraq. Four CONCACAF teams, Canada, Mexico, Panama and the USA will be in  the  24-team tournament to be played in six groups of four teams in the opening round.  The top two teams along with the four best third-place finishers will advance to the knock-out stage.

Making their sixth appearance at the FIFA event, Canada will compete in Group C in Dubai, along with Brazil, Czech Republic and Australia, while Mexico, who are in their 10th world championship, find themselves in Group E in Al Ain, with Saudi Arabia, Ireland and Ivory Coast. Playing in their first FIFA world championship, Panama are in Group A in Abu Dhabi, joining Slovakia, Burkina Faso and the host country, while the USA who are in their ninth appearance at the FIFA competition, are in Group F in Abu Dhabi with Paraguay, Germany and Korea Republic.