FIFA representative signs agreement with the Cambodian Football Federation to donate US$400,992 towards construction of a new national football centre

JEYSING Muthiah, representative of FIFA Development Office in Kuala Lumpur, and Ouk Sethycheat, general secretary of the Football Federation of Cambodia (FFC), co-signed a contract Tuesday to begin construction of the new FFC headquarters and training center.

The ceremony was held at the current FFC headquarters, located in Chaeng Maeng village on the outskirts of Phnom Penh. In attendance were representatives from Khmer Nihon Corporation, the company chosen to construct the new centre.

With the signing of the contract, FIFA have granted the FFC US$400,992, which is the second contribution from the international football organisation as part of their Goal Project to develop Cambodian football. The FFC received US$400,000 from FIFA in 2002 for the construction of the current centre.

Jeysing Muthiah confirmed that the project will see the construction of a new National Football Centre (NFC) on 15 hectares of land located in Tonle Bati district, Takeo province, about 40 kilometers from Phnom Penh.

Ouk Sethycheat expressed the ambitions of federation president Sao Sokha for the development of football in Cambodia. “Our current centre is too small and surrounded by many garment factories,” said the secretary. “That is not good for the players. So the president has decided to find a new place.”

He added that the construction of the new NFC is to include two playing fields and accommodation, changing rooms and a canteen for national team players.

According to Sao Sokha, the FFC is planning to spend around $2 million for the construction of the new NFC. Besides sponsorship from the second FIFA Goal Project, the federation has raised funds from donations by local companies and from the sale of the old NFC land.

“We will spend from five to 10 years for the construction of new NFC, depending on the money we have,” said Ouk Sethycheat.