Interesting Times Ahead For Football

The PNG Footfall Association (PNGFA) is braced for interesting times ahead in order to achieve its dreams and vision.

“We must have a vision and dream to achieve things in life whether in Sports or Business,” this was a bold message from the PNGFA President, John Kapi Natto.

He said the PNGFA Secretariat's Office and everyone must plan ahead for the better.
“We have managed to fix PNGFA Football, which has been one of our many tasks since taking office three years ago,” Kapi Natto said.

PNGFA is embarking on a major competition platform to achieve its dream to participate in the world cup stage one day. The competition platforms include the men’s NSL, Women's National Soccer League and the Youth Soccer League (Y League).

The three platforms are enshrined in the PNGFA Strategic Pillars – Grow The Game and Create Pathways for our young footballers of Papua New Guinea.

Kapi Natto said during his tenure as head of football in the country, he wants to ensure young footballers, both male and female live their dream to play professional football one day.

He said six months ago, PNGFA started the FIFA - Funded Women National Soccer League that ended abruptly due to the sudden rise of COVID-19 pandemic and will resume in September.

“We believe in creating pathways for our young people and that is where PNGFA is embarking on a first ever Youth League (Y-League) to kick off in October, running parallel to the Women's National Soccer League,” Kapi Natto said.

PNGFA is bidding to host the Women's Oceania Nations cup qualifying early 2022 because many countries would not travel to Fiji or New Zealand due to closing of their borders in the Oceania region.

“We are trying to bring in 10 countries to find out the winner to qualify to the next stage of the women's world cup soccer qualifiers. It will be a major boost for women’s football and we hope it becomes a reality,” he said.

The 2023 Women World Cup will be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand and everyone in PNG and around the Oceania region are looking forward to attending the FIFA-sanctioned event.

“It is an exciting time ahead for women football in the country. Women are not far from playing in the World Cup 2023, but we have to win the OFC qualifiers minus New Zealand plus three other countries to qualify for the 2023 Women's World Cup.”

The PNG Kapuls, the PNG men’s national soccer team will be travelling to the Oceania World Cup qualifier in Qatar early next year.

Author: 
Press Release