PNGFA to get K30.7m

The National Sports

By PATRICIA KEAMO
FOOTBALL member nations in the Oceania Football Confederation including Papua New Guinea can apply for funding up to US$8 million (about K30.7m) under the Fifa Forward 3.0 development programme.
The 211 football associations across the world have been allocated up to US$8m after the Fifa Council last month unanimously approved the Annual Report 2023, confirming US$2.25 billion (about K8.62 billion) investment of Fifa Forward 3.0 for the 2023-2026 cycle.
However, Fifa’s development officer for Oceania David Firisua told The National that the use of any Fifa Forward funds should be aligned with the member association’s strategic framework, which they were required to submit to Fifa last year in order to be eligible for funding.
“So under the third iteration of this Fifa Forward Development Programme, member associations will still receive operational funds, up to US$1.25 million (about K4.8 million) each year,” said Firisua.
“And then between 2023 and 2026, member associations are entitled to US$3 million (about K11.5 million) for special projects.
“Member associations below a certain threshold can (apply to) get solidarity funding to support them with travel and equipment.”
According to a statement released by Fifa last week, from the US$8m entitled to each member associations, about US$5 million (K19.2 million) would be used in operations to run local and international competitions.
PNG has received 83 per cent of its total approved funding amounting to US$9.7 million (about K37.2 million), according to an extract from the Fifa forward global report on development activities (2016-22).
The breakdown of that funding is as follows:

  • ADMINISTRATION and governance – US$3.8m (about K14.6m);
  •  NATIONAL teams – US$2.6m (about K9.9m);
  •  INFRASTRUCTURE – US$1.7m (about K6.5m);
  • EQUIPMENT and others – US$0.9m (about K3.4m);
  •  WOMEN’S football – US$0.6m (about K2.3m);
  • CAPACITY development – US$0.6m (about K2.3m); and,
  • COMPETITIONS – US$0.3m (K1.15m).

According to the report, Fifa’s forward funds of US$560,386.60 (about K2.14 million) were used to support the women’s national team in their campaign to qualify for the Fifa Women’s World Cup last year.
That funding enabled PNG Football Association to recruit coaching and support staff, benefit from suitable training facilities both in the country and abroad to provide the team with the best platform to excel.
For MAs applying for funding from Fifa, especially under special projects, the world body will not release funding unless the project is underway and MAs provide substantial proof of projects.
“Based on the strategic plans, they summarise it in a document called the contract of agreed objectives, and so it lists their main objectives for this four-year cycle and under those (objectives), they can apply for projects,” Firisua clarified when asked of the Forward 3.0.
“The projects cannot be applied for outside the strategic framework of an MA.”
Firisua said since 2022, PNGFA has been focused on infrastructure development as seen with the refurbishment of its headquarters, the PNG Football Stadium as well as plans for the academy in Kimbe and Lae.
“There’s a strong reporting obligation attached to the use of the funds from the Fifa Forward Programme,” said Firisua when asked of funds accountability.
“We have the central audit review process by February every year where preliminary reports are due, so that comes to our office (Fifa) in Zurich, by June of every year. The financial statements are audited between May, June and September. Fifa sends its own auditors to have a look again at all of it. So there’s a strong reporting mechanism attached to the FIFA Forward Development Programme.”

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