The future of football development in Laos has received a massive boost with the expansion of the Champi-Champa LFF Training Centre KM16 now complete. Built with the assistance of FIFA Forward funding, the expansion completes a vision that began in 2015 to provide a world-class environment for player development, to promote football at a national and regional level, and to support local football clubs with additional training facilities.

Assisted by the FIFA Forward programme – which provides FIFA’s 211 Member Associations with funding for tailormade football-related projects – the Lao Football Federation (LFF) have been able to make steady improvements across many aspects of their football community.

With a population of less than eight million and as the only landlocked nation in Southeast Asia, Laos has unique challenges in providing infrastructure that caters for national teams, men and women’s football, youth development, and grassroots development.

Through the Champi-Champa LFF Training Centre KM16, the LFF now have a facility which caters for the sport at all levels while also providing a platform for future capacity building. “The Lao Football Federation has made a sincere and long-term commitment to football development by investing the FIFA forward funds to develop a national training centre equipped with pitches,” said Kenny Jean-Marie, FIFA Chief Member Associations Officer. “We are pleased to be able to support this commitment. We have worked together to create a new football landscape in the country, one that gives more boys and girls than ever before the chance to take part in the beautiful game.”

The recently completed expansion was the third stage of the KM16 project with the additional facilities including new pitches, a gymnasium, and parking lots among other things and two full-size natural grass pitches through FIFA Forward 1.0 and 2.0. Located within the National Stadium KM16 complex, the facility is in the unique position where it can cater for all levels of football in Laos, from grassroots clubs, through to youth and senior national teams. “On behalf of the whole Lao football community, I am wholeheartedly thankful for FIFA for the continued support towards LFF in its effort to raise the standard of the football infrastructure in Laos,” said Viphet Sihachakr, LFF President. “This training centre will offer better facilities to train the players of the national teams both men and women at all levels, in which it will enhance the level of their performance and to the hub of the next generations of Lao footballers to come.”

Along with Mr Sihachakr, LFF Vice-President and FIFA Council Member Kanya Keomany welcomed Kenny Jean-Marie and a FIFA delegation to Laos for the centre’s inauguration and to discuss future FIFA Forward projects. “We are grateful to FIFA for this incredible support and for FIFA’s commitment to developing football at all levels,” said Ms Keomany. “Here we have completed an expansion project that now serves as a multifunctional space where we can do so much from national team training to local grassroots programs, and fun football activities for young talents every weekend.”