THE Solomon Islands Football Federation (SIFF) Secretariate will continue the various support for football development this year.
SIFF CEO Leonard Paia made the assurance that the federation will continue to play its vital role in ensuring football development is broad – to the grassroots, men’s, and women’s football, national team, and club football.
The federation is committed to providing the essential support required through FIFA annually.
“SIFF provides both budgetary and equipment support – it’s a normal practice for the federation as well as for clubs in the national league for men and women,” Paia explains.
For 2023, the 10 Provincial Football Association (PFA) received operational grants that mainly support administrative work as required according to their status.
“The federation paid out $ 1 million each year for this administrative support for all the PFA – each PFA received $100,000 as operational grants to support them in a particular year.
Support also includes provincial leagues and competitions.
‘In 2023 the federation financially supported provincial leagues for national competitions which they are obliged to do. Last year, the Solomon Power U14 Championship where each PFA received $20,000 each to run their leagues in selecting a team over for the national youth championship – totaled to $280,000 for provincial participating teams.
Other provincial competitions that get similar support include the U16 league, beach soccer for senior men, and the capital league for both men and women.
“Grants for beach soccer league, the capital league $500,000 in total disbursed among the PFA for men and $450,000 for women has paid in 2023.
PFAs apply for these competitions’ funding depending on their capacity – in return, a funding retirement report is compulsory with the approval of the funding contract for PFA on their activities with a deadline on the 31st of January the following year.
“Based on the requirements it will help the federation to keep a monitor on the spending as required.
Over $1.2 million from the FIFA Covid grants also has been paid to clubs in 2023 – it includes club uniforms and $400k each to the 2 clubs representing at the OFC Champions League.
All funding is from FIFA. FIFA’s outlay determines what funding is available, and as such funding retirement must be according.
“As much as the federation is keen to improve and support the development of football in the country it also depends very much on the international body grants – which excessed to over 99 percent each year for activities.
The next stages of support are currently finalized and will be communicated in due course.
