Ben Buckley, CEO of the Football Federation of Australia (FFA), recently confirmed that Gold Coast United and North Queensland FC would be taking part in the 2009-2010 A-League season. Commenting on the inclusion of Gold Coast United and the Townsville-based North Queensland FC, Buckley told the FFA’s official website: “The Gold Coast is a vitally important region for football. It is one of the fastest growing regions in the country with a population already of over half a million. We know that the people of the Gold Coast enjoy supporting local teams and I have no doubt that Skilled Park will be one of the best home grounds in the country. Like the Gold Coast, North Queensland people are very proud of their local teams. The inclusion of the two clubs next season will take the number of participating teams in the A-League to 10, with two more sides expected to enter the fray in the near future.”

The Oman Football Association (OFA) is hoping its under-11 schools league will provide the platform for the country’s future success. The league for children is part of the AFC’s Vision Asia strategic development plan for Oman, a country that is keen to strengthen its grassroots and youth activities. The OFA has also helped to launch youth training centres at more than 30 clubs while also providing equipment, balls and kits. Vision Asia director Brendan Menton recently visited Omani dubs Seeb and Al Shabab and said he was delighted with the OFA’s efforts to boost grassroots and youth football.

The Football Association of Indonesia
(PSSl) will open a football school of excellence on the outskirts of Jakarta to groom the next generation of national players. PSSl Vice-President Nirwan D. Bakrie said the school, scheduled to open in July next year, will accommodate students between the ages of 13 and 15 in three classes of 25 each-primary, second year and third year. Bakrie talked about the school after a meeting with AFC officials, including President Mohamed bin Hammam, on the revision of PSSl statutes. “We have high hopes for the school,” said Bakrie- “The students will be given education, training and food and we hope that after their three-year course, they will go abroad, improve their skills and then return to Indonesia.”

There are no changes to the top three in the latest edition of the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking: European champions Spain remain unchallenged at the top and have even managed to extend their lead over their nearest challengers Italy and Germany. Things are far more exciting in the next few spots in the ranking. Brazil (4th, up 2), the Netherlands (5th, down 1) and Croatia (6′b, down 1) are all within a few points of each other and, together with Argentina (7l!l), are locked in an exciting head-to-head
battle. Russia (9″, up 3) have moved up three places, thus managing to break back into the top ten, at the expense of Turkey (13th, down 3).
The month’s biggest winners, however, are unquestionably from Oceania. On the back of two convincing victories over New Caledonia in their FIFA World Cup™ qualifying campaign, New Zealand have gained 268 points and are currently ranked 54th. This means that the All Whites are once again the highest-ranked OFC team. Other climbers this month include
Israel (16<\ up 3), Lithuania (37th, up 17) and FYR Macedonia (46ihl, up 10), all of whom have recorded their best placing since the ranking was introduced. A total of 125 international “A” matches have been played worldwide since the last edition of the ranking, of which 106 were gualifiers for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™. The remaining internationals were qualifiers for the CONCACAF Gold Cup (six matches) and friendlies (13 matches).

Bwalya: “I would like to take Zambia back to where it should be”

A legend of the African game in the 80s and 90s, Kalusha Bwalya is President of the Football Association of Zambia and travelled to Zurich in that capacity to meet FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter on 19 September. Although a star performer with a number of European clubs, Bwalya never graced the FIFA World Cup™ finals with his country, and his main objective as Zambia’s new footballing chief is to help the Chipolopolo reach the big stage for the first time in their history. After his meeting with the FIFA President, he was kind enough to grant FIFA magazine an interview.

Kalusha Bwalya, can you tell us why you have come to visit FIFA?
Kalusha Bwalya: ! have been a member of FIFA’s Technical and Development Committee since 2004 and that’s the main reason why I’ve come to visit FIFA today. I have taken the opportunity to meet with President Blatter because first and foremost I am the President of the Zambian Football Association, a post I have held for six months now. This is the first time since I became President that I have made an official visit to the governing body of world football.

As the head of the Zambian FA what is your goal?
Bwalya: I would like to take Zambia back to where it should be. In the mid-90s Zambia was the highest-placed African side in the FIFA rankings, but if you ask people to name the best five sides on the continent today, we wouldn’t get a mention.
What needs to be done to help Zambian football develop? Bwalya: We need to be working hand in hand with the decision-makers, whether it’s government or big business. We are more determined than ever to put Zambian football back on the map, but everything starts on the pitch. We have to make sure that our teams qualify for major events so we can get some experience. We don’t have any teams in the (CAF) Champions League this season or in the Confederation Cup, and it’s been a while since any of the youth teams took part in a global tournament. We need to change all that.

What would qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ mean to you?
Bwalya: The 2010 FIFA World Cup™ is the ultimate challenge, a dream for every Zambian. In Herve Renard we have a very good coach, plus we have a strong core of players who have been together for four years now. Some of them are doing well in Europe, like the Katongo brothers Christopher at German club Arminia Bielefeld and Felix at French club Rennes] and Rainford Kalaba in Portugal, for example.

Do you think you can qualify?
Bwalya: Our chances of qualifying for the FIFA World Cup™ finals for the first time are entirely in our own hands. I played in qualification competitions during my career and I would give all my experience to help us get there now. I can tell you that we at the Zambian FA are 200 per cent committed to achieving that goal and I am sure the players are too.