Thursday 17 June 2021, 16:19

Football in Brunei Darussalam moving Forward

  • Groundbreaking ceremony held for new technical centre

  • FIFA President sent support via video message

  • NFABD hope facility will spur further construction across the country

The National Football Association of Brunei Darussalam (NFABD) held a groundbreaking ceremony on Monday 14 June 2021 to mark the construction of its new technical centre and mini grandstand, slated to be completed by the end of this year.

In line with FIFA’s vision of making football truly global, and fulfilling one of the FIFA Forward Programme’s key goals to strengthen football infrastructure, the NFABD worked tirelessly over the last year in close collaboration with FIFA’s Regional Office in Kuala Lumpur on these projects.

The new technical centre will include a mini gymnasium, medical centre, research room, conference room and auditorium, allowing football stakeholders to better manage their activities. The mini grandstand will complement the FIFA-funded artificial field as a competition venue.

The construction of the projects fall under the FIFA Forward 1.0 and 2.0 initiatives aimed at facilitating football development and improvements across FIFA’s global member associations.

NFABD President Pengiran Matusin Matasan said: “The success of these projects depend on collective and mutual effort. It is apparent that all of us have a common goal, a shared purpose: that is to develop football in Brunei Darussalam and to produce competitive teams in this region.

“Each one of us has our own responsibility in this journey. That is why it is vital for us to work closely together with the public and private sectors, in particular with the support of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports.”

More broadly within the country, the member association is confident that this project will support the National Vision 2035. Helping to create more local employment opportunities, support capacity building for local talent, and further develop the nation’s infrastructure to evolve the level of football participation.

Present to officially launch the groundbreaking ceremony were Brunei Darussalam’s Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports Yang Berhormat Major General (Rtd) Dato Paduka Seri Haji Aminuddin Ihsan Pehin Orang Kaya Saiful Mulok Dato Seri Paduka Haji Abidin. Also, in attendance virtually were representatives from FIFA, AFC and the Asean Football Federation (AFF – Regional Association).

During the groundbreaking ceremony, FIFA President Gianni Infantino, AFC General Secretary Dato Windsor John and AFF President (Regional Association) Major General Khiev Sameth conveyed their congratulatory messages to the NFABD through a pre-recoded video message.

President Infantino in his address said: “It is a privilege to congratulate you all for all the work as it commences. The new football complex will be Brunei Darussalam’s first technical centre and will represent a tremendous improvement for players, coaches and instructors.

“The new technical centre marks a huge step in the right direction of local football and is aligned with my 2020-2023 vision to make football truly global and accessible to everyone.”

In closing, the NFABD President implored the guests present to establish more training facilities in their own communities: “The day you plant the seed is not the day you eat the fruit. To stay on course we need to build the foundation today so that the future generation will need not to go through the struggles that we face."

The opening of a new technical centre in Brunei Darussalam