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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.”

AFC has invited bids from its member associations to house its headquarters, which are currently based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The proposal will now be tabled at the AFC Congress in May 2009. The AFC secretariat took up its function in Hong Kong after the formation of the governing body in Manila, Philippines, on 8 May 1954, and moved to Penang, Malaysia, in 1965 after Koe Ewe Tek had taken over as its General Secretary. The secretariat moved again ten years later, this time to Malaysia’s Ipoh when Dato’ Teoh Chye Hin was appointed General Secretary. When Dato’ Peter Velappan took over the reins in 1978, the secretariat was shifted to Kuala Lumpur. Two temporary offices and 22 years later, the AFC is presently housed in its own building in the capital’s Bukit Jalil area.
In its first-ever meeting at AFC House, the AFC Football for Disabled Persons and Social Responsibility Committee discussed ideas and expressed its commitment to increasing playing opportunities for the disabled and young people. Chairing the meeting, Kwak Chung Hwan from Korea Republic said the committee would be endeavouring to provide more opportunities to the young and disabled to play and enjoy the beautiful game. “Sport is a great means of harmonising society and football has the power to unite the world,” said Kwak. “This committee will come up with ideas so that programmes can be launched for disabled people. We want them to overcome the challenges they face and enjoy the sport.” Kwak also presented a comprehensive masterplan which aims to turn the AFC into a recognised pace-setter among sports organisations in the areas of social responsibility and disabled football by 2013.
The AFC Technical and Vision Asia Committee has approved the launch of new development projects in Philippines and Kyrgyzstan. Under the chairmanship of Malaysia’s Tengku Abdullah Ibni Sultan Ahmad Shah, the committee also gave a green light to the expansion of existing projects in China, India and Iran to two new cities each. The committee also approved the extension of the AFC ’sAID27 programme to 2012.