The Football Association of Maldives (FAM) has stated that land surrounding the FIFA-funded building at the Maafannu Football Stadium has been allocated for the construction of warehouses and other purposes without a formal decision from the association or approval from FIFA.
According to the FAM, the Maafannu Football Stadium land was handed over to the association by the Ministry of Youth and Sports in 2017 for a 50-year period to be developed under FIFA funding. The association clarified that neither FAM, FIFA, nor the Sports Ministry had authorized the use of this land for warehousing or any other activities outside the scope of the original project. Consequently, the FAM has decided to void any such existing agreements.
Nine years ago, on February 1, 2017, the Ministry of Youth and Sports allocated the land at Block 378 in Malé to the FAM for the development of a sports arena and an office complex funded by FIFA.
The project plans included an office building, an accommodation block capable of housing approximately 100 individuals, a full-sized turf pitch, a gym, and a prayer area. The second phase of the project aimed to develop additional football pitches.
The previous management of this land by the FAM had drawn significant public criticism and raised concerns within the football community. The current Executive Committee’s decision is seen as a definitive step toward addressing these long-standing concerns.
