ABUJA (Nigeria) 8 March '99

FIFA president Sepp Blatter declared on Friday Nigeria that is ready to host the Under-20 soccer World Cup next month. The head of soccer's governing body, speaking at the draw for the 24-nation championship, said countries had been instructed by letter to send their best players. "This World Cup for the Under-20 youth teams will be played in Nigeria, full stop," Blatter told a news conference. "It will be played by the best teams because the best teams have qualified and therefore the best teams have to forward their best players ... the clubs have to release the players." The tournament from April 3-24 is due to kick off in Lagos, where Nigeria take on Costa Rica in Group A. Also drawn in Group A are Germany and Paraguay. Some Western club sides, particularly in England, have raised fears for the safety of their players if they travel to Africa's most populous nation with its repuation for crime, accidents and tropical disease. But FIFA officials say the situation is very different to 1995 when Nigeria's hosting rights were cancelled over safety concerns at a time of political turmoil when Nigeria was shunned as a world pariah. This time around, political tensions have eased following presidential elections which will result in the end of military rule on May 29. Nigeria's deputy leader, vice-admiral Okhai Akhigbe said the military government had done all it could to make the tournament a success. "This will convince the world that we are in line to host future international events such as the 2006 World Cup," he told a news conference. Drawn in Group B to play in the northern industrial centre of Kaduna are Argentina, Croatia, Ghana and Kazakhstan. Australia, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Ireland meet in Group C at Nigeria's second largest city of Ibadan in the southwest. Group D features Uruguay, Mali, Korea and Portugal at the southeastern city of Enugu. England are drawn in Group E to play in the ancient northern market city of Kano and the remote town of Bauchi, along with Cameroon, Japan and the United States. Drawn in Group F to play in the southeastern oil industry hub of Port Harcourt and nearby Calabar are Zambia, Honduras, Spain and Brazil. Blatter has since left for home.