Jordan to improve football infrastructure — Prince Ali

AMMAN — Jordan seeks to improve its sports facilities and infrastructure ahead of hosting the FIFA Under-17 Women’s World Cup in 2016, Jordan Football Association (JFA) President HRH Prince Ali said on Saturday.

The government has pledged to offer its full support to the JFA in hosting the international football competition by helping prepare around 16 training pitches and four main football stadiums in line with FIFA standards and spread around the Kingdom’s cities, the prince said.  

“It is imperative that the government pay more attention to the sports infrastructure in the country,” Prince Ali told members of the Hiwar (dialogue) initiative and a number of media representatives, citing sports’ positive effects on youths.

Excelling in sports will also promote Jordan regionally and internationally, said the prince, who is also FIFA vice president for Asia.

The Kingdom was a pioneer in promoting sports when King Hussein issued directives to establish Al Hussein Youth City although the economic conditions at the time were more difficult than they are now, Prince Ali said.

The prince added he presented a comprehensive study on the state of sports facilities around the Kingdom three years ago to the consecutive governments after conducting several field visits, but no decisions were taken to maintain these facilities.

The JFA and the Asian Football Development Project are also working on advancing sports medicine by organising training courses and benefiting from the experience of leading countries.

The Hiwar initiative was founded by a group of young Jordanians over a year ago, with the aim of engaging in dialogue over various local issues.