Gulf Komara pay K51,000 NSL affiliation fee

GULF Komara paid their K51,500 affiliation fee to the Papua New Guinea Football Association (PNGFA) yesterday to compete in the upcoming National Soccer League (NSL) season.
The Petroleum Resources Kutubu-sponsored club is one of the 14 franchises that will be campaigning in the country’s premier football competition which is scheduled to kick off on July 17.
After finishing in the top-four last season and bowing out to reigning champions Lae City in the semifinals, the David Aua-coached side are anticipating an improved season.
“We have 25 players in the squad, most of them have been retained from last year’s squad,” Aua told The National yesterday.
“Training has been going well so far.”
With PNGFA imposing the directive from the National Pandemic Control Centre to have players and officials vaccinated before kick-off, Aua said they were hoping this wouldn’t affect their team.
“We are hoping that the vaccination issue does not affect players pulling out (especially those who choose not to get vaccinated),” he said.
“PNGFA advised that the playing format (has) changed to conferences to avoid vaccination, but this new twist could affect a lot of teams with players uncertain off the vaccination.”
In a statement on Monday, PNGFA confirmed that the 14 teams that had expressed their interest to compete in this year’s NSL would be competing in two conferences.
The Northern Conference —which will host Sepik, Tusbab Stallions, Lae City, Lae City Dwellers, Morobe Wawens, Morobe United and Northern Development Team — will be played in Lae.
Port Moresby Strikers, Hekari United, Star Mountain, Gulf Komara, Central Dabaris, Tavur and Southern Development Team will compete in the Southern Conference at Port Moresby’s Papua New Guinea Football Stadium.