Goal Programme - Vanuatu Football Federation - 2001

The success of technical development programmes and some impressive performances from the Vanuatu national team in international competitions have aroused public interest in the game of football in Vanuatu. This higher profile has also encouraged many sponsors to commit to joint projects. The Minister for Sport and Education has shown great faith in the work of the national association, and has helped to launch development programmes for women's football and futsal. In the last years, Vanuatu's national teams have enjoyed considerable success. While the senior team finished fourth in the Oceania Nations Cup 2002, both the U-17 and futsal teams were classed second in the respective 2002/2003 Oceania rankings.

The technical centre, approved by the Goal Bureau on 29 October 2001, is to bring together talented young footballers from over 83 islands and nine regional associations. The centre provides optimal facilities for promoting youth football in its many guises. School and sport are combined, with education in the areas of sports medicine, media and marketing forming part of the curriculum. The long-term objective is to help young footballers to forge careers in professional football, perhaps overseas, and to allow Vanuatu to make an impression on the international stage. However, in July 2002, FIFA had seen no other option than to withdraw from the contract as a number of inconsistencies in the development of the project had appeared. However, an agreement was reached in August 2003. After a delay of two years, work restarted and the focus is now on four grass pitches, two of which had been completed by the time the academy opened in August 2005.