FAM President Fleetwood Haiya says the plans to inaugurate the rehabilitated Nsanje Youth Centre within the first half of 2025 are on course.

Haiya said this on Thursday when he inspected the project alongside FIFA foundation official Mellisa Cuzzani

The project is almost complete with FAM set to announce the inauguration in due course.

” We promised that we would finish this project within the first half of 2025 and from what I have seen we are on course with the project as almost 85 percent is done.

” The project may have missed some deadlines due to other external factors but we remain committed to have this facility operational by end of June,” he said.

He added that the facility will play a huge role to bridge the gap between the elite teams and amateur teams.

“Other communities have produced big teams in the Super League because they have such facilities and we believe Nsanje will move in the same direction once they have such a facility,”

FAM received a funding of USD 500,000 from FIFA Foundation to rehabilitate the facility as a response to the effects of Cyclone Idai in 2019.

Among the main features of the project are the construction of a new modern football pitch from scratch and installation of solar power for irrigation.

In addition, the pitch will be secured with a wire perimeter fence as well as construction of a VIP stand and box and dressing rooms.

Cuzzani said FIFA Foundation believes the facility will play an important in developing football in the district and change lives of the community which is affected by floods almost every year