KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 22 — The Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) received around US$7.6 million (RM35 million) through the International Federation of Association Football’s (Fifa) Forward Development Programme from 2016 to 2022.
According to the Fifa Forward Global report on development activities released by the world football governing body today, it amounts to 78.6 per cent of the total entitlement of US$9.9 million (RM45.86 million) for Malaysia.
The report stated that US$2.5 million (RM11.58 million) was spent for administration and governance, while US$1.6 million (RM7.41 million) was spent on infrastructure and US$1.3 million (RM6.02 million) for competitions in the first two cycles of the programme from 2016 to 2022.
Women’s football initiatives received US$700,000 (RM3.24 million), followed by unused/football operating expenses (US$700,000), capacity development (US$400,000 or RM1.85 million), equipment and others (US$200,000 or RM930,000), and national teams (US$200,000).
“The FAM partnered with the Fifa Forward Programme to ensure the nation’s footballers had the best possible training facilities at the FAM headquarters (Wisma FAM). Over US$560,000 (RM2.59 million) of Fifa Forward funds has been used to relay the grass pitches, upgrade the floodlighting and provide benches for players and officials.
“The work began in 2019 and was completed in time for the Malaysian boys’ U-15 team to test the new turf surface in July of that year, by which time the high-level lighting had also been completed,” the report read.
Fifa said it approved eight projects in Malaysia, with more than US$2.1 million (RM9.73 million) spent.
According to the report, Fifa had set about US$2.8 billion (RM12.97 billion) for investment in its 211 member associations, as well as in the confederations and the various zonal/regional associations, to significantly bolster football development in their territories under the programme launched in May 2016.
The next cycle known as Forward 3.0 will begin in January 2024, with FIFA promised to provide up to US$8 million (RM37 million) per four-year cycle.
— Bernama
