FA Hails Improving Relationship With Fifa

FIFA has announced a grant of £300,000 towards the FA’s new football centre, St George’s Park. The grant has been welcomed by FA officials as a sign of improving relations between the two organisations. 

The grant will fund the ‘The Goal’ project to help develop the medical facilities at the national football centre near Burton. FIFA President Sepp Blatter said of the grant: ‘FIFA is committed to the development of football across the world and the Goal projects are crucial in achieving this mission. Protecting the health of players is one of our key objectives and I am therefore very pleased that this project will be dedicated to a sports science and medical centre at such an emblematic location at St George’s Park.’

FA Chairman David Bernstein commented: ‘This is fantastic news and reflects FIFA’s commitment to raising standards within the game around the world and to our improving relationship with FIFA.’

Meanwhile, the FA also pledged to share its expertise across various areas including stadium safety, sports medicine and women’s football by signing a Memorandum of Understanding with FIFA. St George’s Park will also stage nine football coaches from around the world as part of the FA’s approach to engage with other football federations. 

Jane Bateman, head of international relations at the FA, said: ‘The FA has a long history of developing football around the world. Like the new memorandum of understanding with FIFA, this bursary project opens our education programmes to the international football community and, in this case, will give a group of international coaches the experience of St George’s Park in its inaugural year. These coaches come from diverse backgrounds and all have great potential as coaches in their countries. We are proud to be supporting them and to be playing a key part in their development.’