Two tournaments for youths

 THE Papua New Guinea Football Association will stage two major youth soccer competitions for Under-17s and U20 men and women this year.

The competitions will be held during the school holidays in July.

Association secretary-general Di­mirit Mileng said the Lae Football Association would host the women’s tournament,  while the men’s would play in Goroka. 

The tournaments will be used to identify players for the national body’s development programmes.

The female U17 and U20 tournaments will be held from July 2-4 and the male tournaments from July 9-12.

Mileng said nomination fees must be paid into the PNG Football Association operations account No. 1000 146 403, at any Bank South Pacific branch. 

The nomination fee per team is K500 and a copy of the deposit slip must be faxed to the PNGFA office on facsimile 475 1399.

He said entry to the tournament would close on June 21.

Teams may withdraw from the tournament but will forfeit 70 per cent of the nomination fee.

Mileng said teams must adhere to the age limitation. U17 players must be born after January 1, 1997, while U20 players must be born after January 1, 1994.

He said all team managements must have proof of age of all the players listed on the master list and failure to provide proof of age on request would result in the player being disqualified from the tournament.