FIFA President Gianni Infantino had announced in March that India will be the host of the 2020 U-17 Women's World Cup. The country had previously hosted the men's U-17 World Cup in 2017.
Belinda said that the tournament, which will be held from November 2 to 21 next year, will "galvanise the whole country, not just on the women's game, but also on the men's."
"The World Cup will have a huge impact in the country, not just on the women's game but also on the men's. You saw what happened when India hosted the FIFA U-17 World Cup India 2017, and how much it changed the demographics, and direction. I expect the same for the coming World Cup as well. You'll see that the host cities will galvanize from within and the rest of the states will follow," Belinda told www.the-aiff.com.
She also said that women's football is improving at a rapid pace in India. "Women's football in India is improving a lot. It has come a long way in a short amount of time. You can see with the investments being made that the game is becoming a better product. I can see there is investment being made at the senior and youth level," she said.
"Over the last 10 years, there is a level of consistency achieved in regards to involvement in youth and senior competitions. I hope to see more role models come to light, who will inspire future generations," she added.
( With inputs from IANS )