Lagos — Preparations are in top gear to host the best FIFA U-17 World Cup ever in Nigeria next year.

To make this dream a reality, the Local Organising Committee (LOC) for Nigeria 2009 is banking on the media which FIFA has since selected as a very important stakeholder.

To this end, the Vice-chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the Nigeria 2009 LOC, Alhaji Mainasara Illo, will be leading some of his top officials to some media houses in Lagos from Wednesday, September 10 to Saturday, September 13, 2008.

The main aim of the familiarisation tour is to appeal to the media houses to collaborate with the LOC to sensitise the Nigerian public and the world about preparations being put in place to successfully host the FIFA U-17 World Cup next year.

The LOC team is expected to depart Abuja Wednesday evening for Lagos, while the tour proper begins on Thursday first with a visit to the Champion Newspapers. From Champion, the team will move to Complete Sports, then Sun Newspapers, Vanguard, THISDay and The Guardian.

On Friday, the team heads for The Nation, Sportsday, The Punch, Independent and the Nigerian Compass.

On Saturday morning, the team will inspect facilities at the Teslim Balogun Stadium and the National Stadium.

The CEO will later address a press conference at the National Stadium.

The LOC team, which includes, Mr. Emeka Odikpo, GM Media and Mr. Emeka Inyanma, GM Marketing, is expected back in Abuja on Sunday.