The Football Association of Maldives (FAM) has announced that 75 activities have been planned to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee of Maldivian football, and these activities will be integrated with FAM’s sports calendar. Speaking at a press conference to provide information about the activities planned by the special committee formed by FAM to mark the 75th anniversary of Maldivian football, the committee’s vice-chair Ahmed Mubeen said that these activities will be coordinated with the sports calendar approved by FAM’s executive committee. “FAM’s executive committee has approved a sports calendar. So our activities will be integrated with that. As our chair mentioned, this will include international tournaments. And the tournaments held in the atolls will also be conducted in a way that celebrates the 75 years,” Mubeen said.
While an international tournament is scheduled as part of these activities, the committee’s chairman Ali Suzain told reporters that at least four teams will compete in this tournament. He noted that although the tournament is scheduled for next year, a specific date has not yet been decided. “Our current plan is to have five teams participate in the tournament. It could be five teams from the region. Including the Maldives, we might have three teams from the region or two teams, but definitely, at least four teams will compete in the tournament along with the Maldives,” Suzain highlighted.
Although the tournament is planned for next year, Suzain explained that a specific date hasn’t been set yet because next year is a World Cup year, and holding a tournament during that time could pose many challenges. Therefore, he said they will consult with FAM’s executive committee to decide on a date, and the tournament will be planned in a way that doesn’t interfere with the Maldivian season. “When we conduct this tournament next year, we haven’t decided on an exact time yet. That’s because next year, FIFA’s biggest window is the World Cup. So if we schedule a tournament during that time, it would cause many difficulties. We’ll consult with FAM’s executive committee to decide whether to hold it before or after that, choosing the most suitable time. We’ll try to do it in a way that doesn’t interfere with the Maldivian season and doesn’t take up too many days,” Suzain stated.
Some of the activities planned to mark the 75th anniversary of Maldivian football include selecting a football personality from each island in the Maldives, choosing the island that has contributed most to football, unveiling a logo related to the Diamond Jubilee, and releasing a song to commemorate the occasion.
