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FIFA and govt discuss plans for SL football: FFSL

Youth Affairs and Sports Minister Sunil Kumara Gamage has met with FIFA Director for Asia and Oceania, Sanjeevan Balasingam, together with the President of the Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL), Jaswar Umar, to discuss the future development of football in Sri Lanka.

During the meeting held in Colombo late last month, the FIFA Director highlighted the importance of strong government cooperation and support to take Sri Lankan football to the next level, the FFSL said in a media release.

The development of a state-of-the-art international football stadium was also a key topic. Both FIFA and FFSL emphasised the importance of having a modern international-standard facility in Sri Lanka, while the Minister expressed his willingness to expedite the necessary government formalities to secure suitable state land for the project.

FIFA is also looking at significant investments in Sri Lankan football, including infrastructure development and regional competitions.

With Sri Lankan football showing impressive growth over the past two years, there is increasing international interest in the country’s potential, the FFSL said in its release.

FFSL has set an ambitious target of generating over Rs 5 billion in funding from both FIFA and AFC over the next four years, while expanding participation to more than 100,000 players across all levels of football.

With the continued cooperation of the Government, FIFA and AFC are expected to increase their investments in Sri Lankan football in the coming years, creating new opportunities for players, clubs, coaches and communities across the country, the statement added.

A new chapter is emerging for Sri Lankan football under the leadership of President Jaswar Umar – with stronger partnerships, better infrastructure and greater opportunities for the next generation, the FFSL further added.