COSTA DO SAUIPE, Brazil: FIFA has made the “geopolitical decision” to choose India as a youth World Cup host for the first time, and Jordan will be the first Arabic host of a women’s tournament.

India gets the Under-17 World Cup in 2017, and the Under-17 Women’s World Cup goes to Jordan in 2016.

FIFA president Sepp Blatter told a news conference selecting India was “really a sports political, a geopolitical decision.”

Jordan’s victory was “another landmark for FIFA” that an Arabic country would organize a women’s competition, he said.

In other decisions, South Korea will stage the Under-20 World Cup in 2017, and South Africa got the 2016 Under-20 Women’s World Cup.

FIFA’s congress of 209 member countries will go to Mexico City in 2016 and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the following year.

On a landmark day for the country’s football, India beat other bidders South Africa, Ireland and Uzbekistan in the fight to host the 24-nation biennial mega event.

By virtue of being the host country, India will take part in the tournament for the first time in its history.

“Yes, India has won the right to host the 2017 Under-17 World Cup Football. It’s official now,” All India Football Federation general secretary Kushal Das said.

This will be the biggest ever football tournament India will be hosting and the first FIFA event in the country’s history. India has hosted Asian Football Co. federation’s Youth Championships (Under-20) in 2006 and then the AFC Challenge Cup in 2008 but never any FIFA tournament.

The date of the tournament will be decided later. United Arab Emirates hosted the tournament this year while Chile will be the host country for the 2015 edition.

India, whose submission of final bid documents were initially in doubt due to delay in getting government guarantees on various subjects, will need six to eight host cities for the mega event. New Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai, Guwahati, Margao, Kochi and Bangalore could be in the running the host the matches.

India’s first bid in January was rejected due to insufficient assurances from the government. But in June this year, the sports ministry backed AIFF’s ambitious plans. While the expenses of hosting the event will be borne by FIFA and AIFF, the government assured additional financial assistance. “While the expenditure for upgradation of stadia (Rs 95 crore) will be provided as additional central assistance to the state governments, a sum of Rs 25 crore is kept as a contingency to ensure smooth conduct of the tournament,” said a sports ministry statement.

The Under-17 FIFA World Cup will be the biggest international soccer event ever on Indian soil. Although the AIFF has hosted several international tournaments both at national and club levels, it has never hosted a FIFA event. FIFA president Sepp Blatter had urged AIFF to bid for the Under-17 championship when he visited India last year. The Asian Football Confederation had also backed India’s application.

India, FIFA ranking 148, have hardly been a force in world football. In November, the national team beat Nepal 2-0 in a friendly and drew 1-1 with the Philippines in another friendly assignment. The only time India broke into the top 100, was a 94th place in February 1996. India’s lowest has been 169 in September 2012. The Under-17 World Cup is expected to bring football back into focus in a cricket-mad nation.