'Dream draw' for Victoria World Cup Group
Scotland, Nigeria, Costa Rica and Japan under-20 soccer teams to play in Victoria in July.

Victoria soccer organizers said they are delighted that Scotland and Japan, both with strong connections to the capital, will headline Group F in July at Royal Athletic Park for the FIFA Under-20 men’s World Cup.

African soccer power Nigeria, silver medallist from the last U-20 World Cup, joins Scotland as the second Commonwealth nation in the Victoria pool. Costa Rica, a Central American power, rounds out the Victoria group.

“We’re beside ourselves because we feel we’ve received an incredible draw,” said Harold McNeill, head of the Victoria organizing committee.

The Victoria park will be expanded to seat 14,500 for six games July 1 to 7 and a round-of-16 playoff contest July 11.

The draw for the biggest soccer event ever hosted by Canada was made yesterday in Toronto. Team Canada will be in Group A and based at Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton and the new national soccer stadium in Toronto. Games will be staged in six cities.