A four-man delegation led by the secretary general of the Gambia Football Association, Jammeh Bojang, will left Banjul yesterday to  represent the country in the official draw for the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Abuja, Nigeria.

Other members of the Gambian delegation are Ousman Wadda, member of the marketing sub-committee, Brigadier-General Saihou Seckan, member of the security unit and Dr Emad Rawad, the Gambia U-17 team doctor. The Gambia quartet will join scores of other dignitaries, including the Fifa vice president Jack Warner, for the official draw that takes place at the International Conference Centre (ICC) in Abuja on Friday, August 7 at (20.00h local time).

The mouth-watering draw will see the 24 teams being housed into six groups for the championship that is fixed for October 24 to November 15, 2009.  Africa will be represented by five teams including hosts Nigeria, two-time African champions Gambia, Algeria, Burkina Faso and Malawi.Other qualified teams are Iran, Korea Republic, Japan, United Arab Emirates Mexico, USA, Costa Rica, Honduras, Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Uruguay, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland, Italy, Spain and Turkey and New Zealand.

As part of arrangements, the Local Organising Committee (LOC) have also extended invitations to celebrated Nigerian footballers some whom cut their football teeth at the cadet tournament to add colour to the event to be beamed live to millions across the globe.  The tournament, the second time Nigeria is hosting a FIFA World Cup after the U-20 Championship 10 years ago will take place in six cities; Abuja, Lagos, Enugu, Kano, Calabar and Ijebu-Ode. Nigeria's Golden Eaglets are the holders after beating Spain on penalties two years ago in South Korea in the 12th edition.