The
First Secretary of the South Korean Embassy in Abuja, Nam Hyoung Jun,
believes that Nigeria is capable of hosting the FIFA World Cup in 2030.
“Nigeria
is a very special country. It is the biggest in Africa and is a nation
that has potential to become a world force. I feel when the World Cup
returns to Africa, it should naturally be organised in Nigeria because
it will have a truly African touch,'' Jun said.
South
Africa was the first country in the African continent to host the
football competition in 2010, and according to the rotation principle
instituted by FIFA’s President Sepp Blatter in 1998 to ensure all
regions get a chance to bid, the World Cup is due back in Africa in
2030, and Nigeria is the favourite to host.
Despite
the massive costs and huge task of preparing the country’s
infrastructure to be able to stage the quadrennial event, Nam believes
Nigeria will be ready in time.
''Twenty
years ago, Brazil was a Third World economy, but today it is an
emerging market for investment and tourism and has a thriving middle
class. It is also the host of the 2014 World Cup.
“Two
decades ago, no one would have imagined a sudden turn around for
Brazil. Same thing can happen to Nigeria which truly has the capacity to
be an economic power. You need the right policies that will grow the
economy and improve on the existing infrastructure over long term,'' Nam
said.
Nigeria has already hosted the Under-20 World Cup in 1999 and the Under-17 in 2009.
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