Goal Programme - Football Federation of Sri Lanka - 2003

Football is the second most popular sport in Sri Lanka behind cricket. In the city of Jaffna, a focal point for fighting during the civil war, the hosts met the Maldives in the so-called «Match for Peace». The fixture formed part of a four-nation tournament also involving Pakistan and Vietnam. In cooperation with the Ministry of Education and the Office for School Football, the Football Federation of Sri Lanka recently launched a development programme incorporating 428 schools across the nation. The national association has recruited 25 regional coordinators to monitor the project under the supervision of its Director of Youth Football. A recent 14-team women's football competition proved to be a great success. As a result, a squad of players was assembled for the women's national team. A team from Germany visited Sri Lanka and played several friendly matches against the home team. Two Sri Lankan players have since been invited to Germany for trials.

After completion of the first Goal project, comprising a multifunctional complex in Colombo which also houses the association, the Sri Lanka FA proposed a second project that was approved by the Goal Bureau on 15 October 2003. A national training centre in the future administrative capital, Sri Jayawardanapura Baddegana, will, above all, help to develop youth football on the island. The municipal authorities were providing the land for the training centre, which can accommodate 60 people.