XInfantino’s Visit: FIFA keys into ‘Football Made in Anambra’ project

World’s apex football governing body, FIFA, yesterday, declared its readiness to partner with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to actualize the ‘Football Made in Anambra’ project, initiated by the Anambra State Football Association, led by Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah.

Gianni Infantino, on a two-day tour to Nigeria, who hailed the project as a major developmental project in Nigerian football assured that FIFA will key into it through the NFF. It would be recalled that the Anambra State FA recently launched the 50,000 football for 50,000 homes project, which it aimed at raising footballers from every family in the state. Infantino, who noted that he has discussed with the Chairman of Anambra State FA, Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah on the project noted that the project if actualized would be of immense benefit to Nigeria, adding that it is such laudable developmental projects that FIFA would want its member associations to be identified with, especially with the recent increase in the football development fund. His words: “It is a very important project that the Anambra State FA is undertaking. We have discussed this with the chairman of the FA and you know FIFA is very active in the development of the game through the local association. We are going to embrace the project through the NFF. “Whatever FIFA can do to encourage the project and even produce more than 50,000 players in the country. This is exactly the direction we want to see the member associations to follow and we are very happy that such a programme is coming from Nigeria”. Reacting, the Chairman, Anambra State FA, Dr. Ifeanyi Ubah, expressed his happiness with the position of FIFA to identify with the project, adding that the Anambra FA has been energized to move forward with such position. Ubah said: “We have taken Anambra state to FIFA and it has manifested in the visit of the FIFA president to Nigeria. Now that FIFA has keyed into the 50,000 footballers project of the Anambra state FA with the assurance that they will support us technically, I am so happy for this has gone a lot way to prove genuinely that the football made in Anambra project, is becoming a reality. Over 50,000 families will benefit from the project with so many other incentives for other sectors in the state.”
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