The stage is now set for the Final Draw for the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Costa Rica 2022™. On Thursday, 5 May, the 16 qualified teams will discover the path they must take in the tournament, which runs from 10-28 August. The country’s National Theatre, an architectural jewel in the capital San Jose, will be the venue for the draw. Paulo Wanchope and Shirley Cruz, two legends of Costa Rican football, will assist hosts Johanna Solano and FIFA Director of Competitions Jaime Yarza at the event.
The Central American country has prior experience of hosting a FIFA tournament, having successfully staged the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup™ in 2014. That tournament, won by Japan, ignited the passions of Costa Ricans for the beautiful game to the extent that, eight years on, Cruz and Wanchope have promised that each game will have a party atmosphere and that everyone is invited to attend this “guaranteed show”. In fact, the spectacle will start as early as 5 May: "The draw will allow Costa Rica to be seen by all the federations, and we want to show the best of ourselves," says draw director Patricia Gurdian. Shirley Cruz is a player of rare talent who defined an era in Costa Rican football. Still active, she lit up European football during her hugely successful spell there and was part of the Tica side that competed at the FIFA Women's World Cup Canada 2015™ in the country’s only appearance at the event to date. She says she feels "honoured" to be a member of the Costa Rica 2022 Organising Committee and believes that the tournament will give the sport a boost. “Prior to this, women's football was already growing at international level,” she said when the draw was announced. “Now we’re going to host a big party and be the centre of attention because of the magnitude of the event. We’ll be hosting the future stars of the game, so hopefully people will come out and join us.”
Paulo Wanchope is another household name in Costa Rica. A gifted forward, he enjoyed a long and successful stint in European football and also featured at the 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cups™, making him a logical choice to be one of faces of the upcoming draw. “We’re proud and happy to be able to organise this World Cup and inspire children and young people through this tournament,” he said. “That’s the most satisfying thing I can have at this time. We have to show what we mean by [our Official Slogan] Vamos Juntas (Let’s Go Together). We're all going to enjoy the football.” Costa Rica is currently experiencing a surge in interest in women's football, with the U-17 World Cup organised in 2014 sparking a footballing revolution among girls. And while Cruz was too old to play at that tournament, she nonetheless followed it closely and knows how much it meant, just as she knows how much the upcoming World Cup could also mean: "Today there are more and more girls who can dream of making football their profession. The tournament can be a watershed moment for them.” Wanchope shares that sentiment and is just as impressed with the growth of the women’s game. However, he prefers not to look at it as a separate entity. “We men need to view football as one [game] and not distinguish between men’s and women’s football,” he said. Wanchope enjoy his role as an inspiration for an entire generation and would like his experiences to reach all those dreaming of a professional career in the game. “All the experiences I had and everything I lived through in my career can be passed on to children,” he explained. “We have to collaborate to leave a legacy so that this tournament is the best, and so that many are inspired by what they’re going to see and also by what leading lights of our national sport have done.”
A tournament where current stars of the game such as Asisat Oshoala, Patricia Guijarro, Alexandra Popp, Sydney Leroux and Marta first emerged, the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup is frequently the setting for emerging stars to announce their arrival. Costa Rica is now ready to see the latest crop come of age.