FFPNG launches league

By ISAAC LIRI
THE inaugural Football Federation of PNG Champions League will provide an opportunity for its players to compete at a higher level domestically.
FFPNG president John Kapi Nato make these remarks during the launching of the Champions League yesterday at the Rita Flynn Sporting Complex in Port Moresby.
The Champions League will feature four teams from the Southern Conference and four from the Northern Conference. Southern includes Hekari United FC, Amoana FC, Admiralty FC and Gulf Erema FC while Northern Conference has Morobe United FC, Markham FC, Nawae FC and Laiwaden FC.
Kapi Natto said FFPNG would continue to grow throughout PNG and the purpose of the Champions League was to provide an opportunity for the top FFPNG players to play competitively against each other.
“When we had a meeting last year and we realised that if we were on the other side, (PNGFA) then our players would have the opportunity to play overseas because we are not Fifa-sanctioned,” Kapi Natto said.
“But then what do we do for our young people who are missing out, the vast of them, so we created this for them, the Champions League where we give them that opportunity.
“So what we’re doing this year is that the Southern Conference and the Northern Conference had six teams last year but we selected four from each conference. “On March 24 the two champions of both conferences will play the finals and the two runners-up will play for the third and fourth placing.
“We are trying to set a pathway for these young people to have that opportunity to showcase talent so apart from the NPL, we have this Champions League.
“And if one day football comes together, we have built constructive programmes that will be effective for football in the long term,” Kapi Nato said.