Sports Minister Justin Tkatchenko

“The primitive and the uneducated action of the Hagen Eagles officials and supporters must be condemned at the highest level,” a frustrated Minister posted on his Facebook wall last week.

His comments following an assault on the match referee and Rabaul Gurias players after their semi-final win over the Western Highlands franchise team in Port Moresby.

But the comments by Tkatchenko had got a divided support on social media, with some slamming the words used by the minister as derogative to Western Highlanders.

Sports Minister Justin Tkatchenko revealed to Loop PNG today after the official announcement of the tournament draw in Australia yesterday.   

Australia is the major host of the international rugby league tournament, while PNG and New Zealand are co-hosts.   

“The World Cup Committee and Organizing officials have done their tours for the last 6-8 months of our facilities and have basically decided on the National Football Stadium

“We have created history after four years of negotiations with Rugby League World Cup officials and Australia (ARL) who have won the bid to host the World Cup,” Tkatchenko told Loop PNG.

He confirmed that all Kumuls home matches will be played in Port Moresby, following recommendations from World Cup Committee and Organizing officials’ inspections of venues in other provincial centres in the last 6-8 months.  

“National Football Stadium is customarily designed for the purpose of rugby league and with that the three games will be played there,” Tkatchenko said.

“Peoples National Congress Party and your Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Peter O’Neill is totally intact,” Tkatchenko told Loop PNG by phone from the Milne Bay capital.  

“We have 80 members here in Alotau, and we look forward in going and defeating this vote of no-confidence in our prime minister showing rest of the country that we are all united as one and can get back to our jobs.

The kick off at the National Football Stadium was done by Sports Minister Justin Tkatchenko.

Present during the ceremony were PNGRFL chairman Sandis Tsaka and Digicel PNG CEO Maurice McCarthy.

The crowd of close to 3000 fans and supporters is seated at the main grandstand area.

Other four matches are also underway at other centres, including Kokopo, Goroka and Mendi.

The World Cup will run from 28 Oct-16 Nov in Port Moresby with 16 nations taking part.

The government has budgeted K10 million for the preparation for the FIFA World Cup.

All venues,  the National Rugby League stadium, Sir Hubert Murray stadium, the Sir John Guise stadium, the Bisini Grounds plus schools are being upgraded to FIFA standards.

Tkatchenko brushed aside recent media reports of the facilities being too expensive and not available for the people to use.

He said PNG is lucky to have these facilities that are for the people, including the grassroots and to ensure that the people have access to these facilities all the time.

“We are building these facilities for our people to use for our local sports so at the end of the day, the facilities are for the people and they will be available for the people at all times,” he said.

The announcement will be done during a joint press conference by the Oceania Football Confederation president David Chung and Sports Minister Justin Tkatchenko.

Tkatchenko said the National Football Stadium is being completed to world class standards that will meet FIFA requirements for hosting the Under-20 Women’s World Cup.

A FIFA delegation visited the venue recently and was impressed with the design and quality of the facility.

The volunteers included 1000 technical officials for all sports that helped to deliver the successful Games.

Minister for Sports Justin Tkatchenko expressed his appreciation to the volunteers during a thank you party today at the Sir John Guise Stadium organised by the Games Organising Committee.

 Tkatchenko thanked the volunteers for their time and efforts as what they did were not paid roles but the experience they got from being a volunteer is something money can’t buy.