Thanks to the new facility, FEPAFUT will be able to organise national and international competitions for all players across the Central American country
Through championships and tournaments, football academies and leagues will have access to the new infrastructures including U-13, U-15, U-17 and U-19 teams
The construction and inclusion of new accessibility posts in the stadium was also carried out, as well as a new ramp for the access of visitors with reduced mobility, which provides spaces that did not previously exist.
The Football Federation of Panama (FEPAFUT) with the support of FIFA Forward programme reopened the Virgilio Tejeira Andrión Soccer Complex last Sunday (17 March) in Penonomé. The re-inauguration was held with the presence of members of the FEPAFUT Executive Committee and representatives from FIFA Regional Development Office in Panama.
Pedro Chaluja, President of FEPAFUT, José Rodríguez, Development Manager of the FIFA Regional Office and Derek Canavaggio, Coordinator of the FIFA Regional Development Office, were in charge of the ribbon-cutting of a project that will be used for all regional competitions and for national teams. After the opening ceremony, a match of the Rommel Cup, which is a tournament also financed with Forward funds, between Barriada FC (Coclé) and Cañacillas FC (Veraguas) was played to inaugurate the new artificial turf.
"FEPAFUT is investing $1.1m in the process of rehabilitation of this complex in Penonomé and additionally we have other projects prepared to continue with the development of it. It is not just an artificial turf, we also want to develop futsal, beach soccer, and install additional training courts, as well as infrastructure for accommodation. We will keep partnering with the Forward programme and we hope that in the next four years we will keep seeing great changes, "said Pedro Chaluja, President of the Panamanian Football.
The entire re-modelling project was divided into phases and it lasted ten months in total, in order to comply with FIFA's requirements for funding. The first phase involved improvement of the stands and roof waterproofing. The second phase consisted of improvements to dressing rooms, internal spaces, and adjustments for players and visitors with restricted movement. Finally, the third phase allowed the member association to install a synthetic grass court certified by FIFA as a Quality Pro Court.
This new football complex is a real success for Panamanian football, as it will serve to continue strengthening the beautiful game in the country and it will be used as offices for the Provincial League of Coclé, to compete in district leagues, but also for the Liga Nacional de Ascenso and the Liga Panameña de Fútbol and other regional tournaments, for both men an women’s competitions and very much focused in bringing amateur football to the region of Penonomé.
The construction and inclusion of new accessibility posts in the stadium was also carried out, as well as a new ramp for the access of people with reduced mobility, which provides spaces that did not previously exist.