PHNOM PENH (18 June 2013) –The Football Federation of Cambodia (FFC) inaugurated the National Football Center and National Football Academy in Bati this morning.
The event was attended by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, His Excellency Sheikh Salman Bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, the president of the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) and also His Royal Highness Sultan Haji Ahmad Shah, the president of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) as well as members of the Cambodian Senate and Parliament.
His Excellency Sao Sokha, the president of the FFC, said in his speech that that the new centre is a strategic infrastructure for centralizing grassroots and youth players.
“They will be accommodated and nurtured, receiving modern, systematic and scientific training to become future players of the Cambodia national team, especially for the SEA Games 2023, which Cambodia will play host,” said Sokha.
“Other than the efforts of the FFC, this project was also made possible by the FIFA Goal Projects as well as contributions from several quarters to the tune of USD 2.2 million. But we are still short of USD 102,082.”
But the centre is just the beginning, where there are plans to build a school for football academy students, a multi-indoor sport hall, a swimming pool, a library and also the construction of a mini stadium complete with floodlights.
Sokha then went on to outline the FFC’s long-term strategic planning which includes:
1. The Development of Grassroots and Youth Football.
2. The Development of Clubs and Member Associations
3. The Development of Competitions
4. The Development of Governing And Regulations
5. The Development of National Teams
6. The Development of Infrastructures
7. The Development of Coaches
8. The Development of Referees
9. The Development of Women’s Football, Futsal And Beach Soccer
10. The Development of Hosting International Tournaments And
11. The Development of Sport Medicine and Sport Science
