Tue, 30 Nov, -0001
Kuwait: The AFC Futsal Development Programme has extended to Kuwait to improve the level of the game in the West Asian nation.
Dr. Ahmad Faraj, Vice Chairman of the Futsal Committee of the Kuwait Football Association (KFA), was delighted to have the AFC futsal development team in Kuwait City.
“We’ll give our best to assist and cooperate with AFC in the exchange ideas for the good of the game and we hope to gain as much knowledge as possible from this visit,” he said at the start of the visit by the AFC team on Monday.
“Futsal is very popular in Kuwait and especially in Ramadan. And our game has improved lately as we have organised the Mini World Futsal Club Tournament 2013 with teams from Asia, Europe, Africa and South America participating.
“We are also preparing for the AFC Futsal Championship 2014 which will take place in Vietnam.”
The programme for one of the Asian representatives in the last FIFA Futsal World Cup in Thailand in 2012 consists of evaluation of their futsal statutes, structure, club competitions, observation of match operations, education and marketing.
Ali Targholizade, AFC Director of Futsal and Beach Soccer Development, made a presentation on the general outlook and current futsal activities in Asia and explained the objectives of the visit.
“Kuwait have always been one of the active futsal counties in the West region,” he said. “Kuwait futsal has also grown recently and reached the top level in Asia.
“This has been a big accomplishment for the country. We hope this assessment visit and meetings with futsal clubs could enhance and create a pathway for futsal players’ development.”
The visit’s kickoff meeting was also attended by KFA Futsal Committee Member Dr. Ghanim Al Sahli and other representatives from the association.
Kuwait, quarterfinalists in the last edition of the AFC Futsal Championship hosted by the UAE in 2012, are in Group A along with Vietnam, Tajikistan and Iraq in this year’s edition which will be held in Vietnam from 30 April to 10 May.
The Kuwaitis aim to enhance their futsal even more through their participation in the AFC Futsal Development Programme. Kuwait is one of the beneficiary countries in the AFC Futsal Development Programme which helps MAs in various aspects of futsal development such as governance and administration, league and competition, grassroots and youth, national teams, coach education and referee development.
The AFC team will continue its visit with meetings with different KFA’s relevant departments, futsal national team and club managers as well as conducting inspections and field visits.