Football: Under-20 World Cup kicks off

Football fans, rejoice - the Fifa Under-20 World Cup is finally here.

It all gets under way in Auckland this afternoon, when the Junior All Whites take on Ukraine in the opener at 1pm.

More than 20,000 people are expected to watch the group A match at North Harbour Stadium, the first of four games today.

Fans in the South only have to wait one more sleep before getting a taste of the action, when arguably the toughest group (D) kicks off at Otago Stadium tomorrow afternoon.

Mali and Mexico play at 1pm, before Uruguay, the 2013 runner-up, plays Serbia at 4pm.

The four teams arrived in Dunedin earlier in the week, and while Mexico and Mali have been lying low, Serbia and Uruguay have visited a school and the children's ward at the Dunedin Public Hospital, respectively.

Uruguay also trained in front of the public on Tuesday, while Serbia opened the last 15 minutes of Thursday's training to the public.

It's been more than four years since New Zealand edged out Peru, Tunisia and Wales to host the tournament, and venue manager and All Whites great Mike McGarry said Dunedin was ready.

''I can't wait for the games to start,'' he said.

''I think you can expect two of the best games of football that have ever happened down here. With the quality of these guys that are going to be on the field, there will be two outstanding games.

''It will be pretty even. I expect some goals, plenty of excitement and just some outstanding play.''

McGarry watched all four teams train during the week and was impressed by the skills on show.

He expects Mexico to be a ''very good'' side, but said all the games in group D could go either way.

While he could not reveal numbers, McGarry said ticket sales had ''been really good'', particularly over the past three weeks.

''We're expecting a good crowd for the first games. They're [tickets] are still going out the door, so there will be a good crowd. Anyone who walks up on the day will get a seat and they will love what they see.''

Despite Fifa being embroiled in a corruption scandal, which was sparked by the arrest of seven of the most powerful football officials in the world in Zurich on Wednesday, McGarry said it would not tarnish the tournament in New Zealand.

''We're just concentrating on what we're doing here and putting on the best possible show we possibly can,'' he said.

McGarry confirmed Fifa representatives would be in Dunedin for tomorrow's doubleheader.

The former All White is tipping New Zealand to ''get a result'' against Ukraine in this afternoon's opening match.

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