FIFA to construct football stadium in Tacloban City
Construction of a two-star football stadium funded by the FIFA in this city will begin this quarter.
The project, in partnership with the Leyte Football Association (LFA), is in line with the recovery and rehabilitation of football infrastructures and facilities after super typhoon “Yolanda” battered the city in 2013.
The construction of the football stadium, which is expected to be full operational by 2016, is one of the major plans of FIFA as a grant to the Philippine Football Federation (PFF).
LFA board member Theodore Leonard Palami said initially, the purpose of the football stadium is to provide play therapy for the victims especially children.
“This is designed to provide an outlet for young people to cope up with disaster trauma,” Palami said.
The football facility, which will rise next year, is a world class 105 x 68 meters turf football pitch, which is capable of hosting local, national and even international football cups.
It is equipped with complete football training facilities for trainings and other football-related activities of players in Eastern Visayas provinces.
Christian Alejo Severino, 20, football enthusiast and a member of the football varsity team of the Eastern Visayas State University (EVSU), is grateful that a football stadium will rise in the city.
“Finally, we will have a football field in Tacloban and there is a chance that football tournaments, national and international football cups will be held here. There will be enough time for football players for their training, especially the stadium will provide a good pitch,” Severino said.
LFA is also considering creating football leagues to train them. Eventually, it would produce football players to represent the region and the country in national and global competitions.
The project has a budget requirement of USD1 million donated by FIFA for players in this storm-ravaged region.
PFF President Mariano Araneta and Secretary Edwin Gastanes made the announcement about the project in November last year during the Asian Football Awards Night hosted by the country.