Fifa wants national league professionalized

THE world soccer governing body, Fifa is to help the local footballers’ body, Ferwafa professionalize the national league through the Win Africa for Africa initiative. Ferwafa’s Chief Executive Officer Jules Kalisa told the Times Sport recently that Fifa will help several Rwanda clubs professionalize their operations. “According to the project (Win Africa for Africa), Fifa has promised to help clubs pay salaries for some of their players. At least 15 players of a given club will sign contracts” Kalisa revealed. The scheme is a pilot project that has reaped fruits in Tanzania, Lesotho and Botswana. This should be before the 2010 World Cup. Fifa will assess Africa’s top leagues in terms of organization and performance. Under the program, Fifa will set aside an unspecified amount of money to help African countries professionalize their leagues. This is intended to help the local leagues draw more sponsors, crowds and improve competition on the continent. According to Kalisa, the main aim of the project is to help Rwandan clubs achieve at least semi professional status and attract sponsors into football. The programme targets to financially benefit underprivileged associations, by providing headquarters, natural and artificial turf pitches, training and education centres and other facilities essential to a basic infrastructure. Under Win Africa for Africa program, the installation of an artificial turf at the Stade Regional de Kigali, Nyamirambo was completed. Similar projects have been extended to regional countries like Burundi, Uganda and Tanzania. Also, as part of this initiative, Fifa will also render technical support to clubs at the national level. Fifa is to spend $70 million on projects to improve African soccer while the continent prepares to host the 2010 World Cup finals. The installation of artificial pitches, introduction of professional leagues and administration and training of coaches and doctors form part of the ‘Win with Africa in Africa’ initiative which was launched last year. An artificial pitch is to be installed in all but one of Africa’s 53 member countries, the only exception being World Cup hosts South Africa. The project also supports the development of national leagues, with training and equipment. Ends

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Fifa wants national league professionalized