Minifootball Association Seeks Support to Host Tourney for Makinde

The Minifootball Association of Nigeria (MAN), Oyo State Chapter has sought the support of Oyo State Government and football enthusiasts for the game towards harnessing

its benefits.

The MAN Coordinator in Oyo State, Mr. David Adewoye, made the call during a news conference in Ibadan recently.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that MAN was duly registered in Nigeria and affiliated to World Minifootball Federation (WMF) since April 27, 2018.

THISDAY gathered that MAN is one of the 144 countries duly accredited and affiliated to the WMF, whose membership cuts across the six continents of the world.

Adewoye said that support was needed from the incoming government in the state and other relevant stakeholders to develop minifootball towards benefitting from its unifying educational, cultural and humanitarian values.

“We want to use minifootball to promote integrity, ethics, fair play and anti-corruption. This, we also hope to use in engaging our youths and creating employment.

“Minifootball is not capital expensive . We want to promote sports and organise local competitions. We want to also promote the development of women minifootball .”

He said that efforts were ongoing to ensure that the state remained a major force in Nigeria as regards minifootball , having been initiated from the state.

Adewoye said that minifootball across the world was making significant progress with Nigeria moving with the trend.

“In 2018, the Nigerian Minifootball team made its first appearance at the Nations Cup in Tripoli, Libya, from May 5 to 12.

“We won a match, drew one and lost one. Our team ended fifth and was the best team of the tournament.

“It is good to note that the team secured a ticket to the 2019

Minifootball World Cup scheduled to hold in Australia from October 1 to 11,” he said.

He said that Nigeria would host the second edition of the Minifootball Nations Cup scheduled to hold in 2020.

Adewoye said that the association was planning to organise an

inaugural match for Mr. Seyi Makinde-led administration in the state to be played between some foreign players and Ibadan-based ex-internationals.

According to him, Mr. Achraf Ben Salha, the President, African Minifootball Confederation has declared readiness to attend the inaugural match to be held in the state.

“Our effort is to ensure that Oyo State is not behind in the game. We want the incoming governor to be part of those to lead us to the World Cup in Australia,’’ he said.

Adewoye said that WMF, a non-profit making organisation was moving its headquarters from Czech Republic to Switzerland, saying efforts underway to affiliate it with FIFA.

The six-aside football game has Mr. Filip Ajuda as WMF

President and Mr. Andrew Elewere as MAN President.

Minifootball is played out-doors on a natural or artificial grass,

with nine players (six in play), smaller goal post and a smaller field of 46mx26m.

The six-aside football game is played for 30 minutes in each

half with a 10 minutes break.

The game has continued to dominate the attention of the world since it held its first Minifootball World Cup in nine cities across the US in 2015.

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