The foundation stone of the future headquarters of Somali Football Federation has been laid down on Saturday, in what was termed as a “historic” moment since SFF came into existence in 1951.
Somali minister for youth and sport, Hon Khadija Mohamed Diriye and Somali Football federation president, Abdiqani Said Arab, have jointly laid down the foundation stone of SFF’s future headquarters.
The new premises is being built on the portion of land that the ministry for youth and sport recently donated to the Somali Football Federation, as announced by the minister Hon Khadija Mohamed Diriye.
The president of Somali Football Federation, Abdiqani Said Arab, thanked the minister Ho Khadija Mohamed Diriye and the entire government of Somalia for donating the piece of land to the federation.
“The construction of this new headquarters will end the more than half a century that Somali Football Federation has been serving in rented offices” the SFF president said as he together with Hon Khadija Mohamed Diriye displayed a design of how the new headquarters will look alike when construction is completed.
“Somali Football Federation has been operating in rented offices for more than 60 years–This will be the first building owned by the federation in its whole history. It is being built as the SFF is benefiting from the new development initiatives created by the president of FIFA, Mr. Gianni Infantino, such as the FIFA forward project under which the construction of this headquarters will be funded” president Abdiqani Sadi Arab, told the media on Saturday.
“Somalia was unable to benefit from a number of FIFA development projects for so long and that was due to the insecurity in the country, but now that the situation in Somalia is improving more development projects are coming to us from FIFA”SFF president explained.
“The headquarters will be the home of the entire football family of Somalia. Having more space to work will help the development of football in the country” president Abdiqani Said Arab, said before handing over the microphone to the minister for youth and sport Hon Khadija Mohamed Diriye.
The minister said that the laying down of the foundation stone of the future head quarters of Somali Football Federation was a milestone for the development of football in the country.
“I am happy to announce that in a few months time, Somali Football Federation officials will be working in a building owned by the federation. The era of serving in rented offices will end there. We have donated this portion of land to them because we have witnessed the huge job they have been doing in the country” the minister said.
She commended the world football’s governing body [FIFA] for its continued support and assistance to the Somali Football Federation. “On behalf of the government of Somalia, I would like to thank and salute FIFA president, Gianni Infantino.” Somalia’s minister for youth and sport, Khadija Mohamed Diriye, told reporters.