GOAL Programme - Football Federation American Samoa - 2009

(FIFA.com) Thursday 26 November 2009

Football and rugby are the two most popular sports in American Samoa. The Football Federation of American Samoa is the only sports organisation that organises tournaments for teenagers and schoolchildren. Two full-time coaches are responsible for the overall promotion of football and they also hold courses for other groups and clubs that show interest. The number of men's and women's teams has grown steadily over the past few years. American Samoa experienced their first success when an international match was played on home ground for the first time. The national youth team managed a draw against opponents of the same age from the Cook Islands during the qualifiers for the U-17 confederation championship in Pago Pago in 2002.

The proposal for American Samoa's third project was submitted in dramatic and unusual circumstances. On 29 September 2009, American Samoa was hit by a severe tsunami that killed 31 people, injured many more and caused significant material damage. The training centre and natural turf pitch by the sea, constructed as part of the association's first Goal project, suffered extensive damage from the tsunami, with the building, equipment and pitch completely unusable after the disaster.