EAFF: NMIFA could be our 10th member

East Asia Football Federation general secretary Takeo Okada is keeping his fingers crossed, hopeful that Fédération Internationale de Football Association would grant the Northern Mariana Islands Football (Soccer) Federation associate member status, in effect making it the 10th member of EAFF.

NMIFA’s application to become associate member of world soccer governing body would be discussed during the FIFA Congress slated this June in Germany, which is just prior to the staging of the 2006 World Cup.

“We have nine associations—Japan, China, South Korea, North Korea, Mongolia, Hong Kong, Macau, Chinese-Taipei, and Guam—hopefully the CNMI and NMIFA would become our 10th member,” said Okada Tuesday, a day before he boarded a plane back home to Japan.

Okada, along with eight other soccer association officials from Guam, Korea, Macau, China, and Guam, was here to attend the inauguration of Gov. Benigno R. Fitial as well as look at the progress made by NMIFA in the local soccer scene. Okada and company were guests of NMIFA president Jerry Tan.

The EAFF chief said he was impressed with the enthusiasm and dedication showed by the people behind NMIFA and promised that EAFF would support the fledgling organization.

“NMIFA and its board seem to be very motivated on the challenge of building a soccer association from scratch. I’m so happy that they are greatly devoted to the sports of soccer,” he said. “… NMIFA belongs to the East Asia region and that’s why we are helping them be a member of FIFA and at same time a member of the Asian Football Confederation and also of our mother association.”

Okada also said EAFF knows very well how it feels to be a new kid on the block having been in existence for only three years. EAFF was formed in May 28, 2002, just before that year’s World Cup co-hosted by soccer rivals Japan and South Korea.

“Before EAFF, the region didn’t have any regional association for soccer. But other areas like Southeast Asia, West Asia, and West Asia, they already had. Because of the World Cup with Japan and South Korea co-hosting the event, the EAFF was formed. So we are fairly new in the soccer world ourselves,” he said.

Although, he immediately marveled at the abundance of soccer venues on Saipan—having inspected pitches at American Memorial Park, Hopwood Junior High School, Airport Field, and Oleai Sports Complex—Okada admitted that the soccer fields need a lot of improvement.

“…but that is not to say that soccer facilities on Saipan don’t need to be improved. For example, pitches need to have bleachers for people who want to watch the games, locker rooms, and goal posts,” he said.

Okada said that’s where help from FIFA, AFC, and EAFF come in.

“Once NMIFA becomes a member of EAFF and in turn of AFC and FIFA, they can get assistance in the form of funds for improving facilities and coaches to supervise training. These would all be made available for NMIFA,” he said.

He also said after NMIFA joins FIFA, the local soccer federation would have the right to participate in the tournaments sanctioned by EAFF and AFC. He said both federations organize a lot of tournaments like leagues for senior players, women, under-20 players, under-17, under-14 players, and other age groups.