NMIFA president Jerry Tan, second from right, joins Governor Ralph Torres, right, in the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the second world-class soccer pitch of the CNMI. Photo: Mark Rabago
The Northern Marianas has officially opened its second world-class football pitch, which is being hailed as testament that the sport is growing in the US territory.
The pitch came at a cost of $US2 million and mirrors the original regular-sized pitch, also at Koblerville, Saipan, an artificial grass turf with under drainage, team benches with clear covers, and lighting.
NMI Football Association president Jerry Tan attributed the opening of the second pitch to demand, as more and more of the population takes up the sport, and not only the youth but senior men and also women.
Governor Ralph Torres, who attended and spoke at the pitch's ribbon-cutting, also granted a donation of $US750,000 to the football association.
Last month, the CNMI national football programme was criticised for sending a team to the U-17 Asian Cup Qualifiers in Australia.
The team suffered successive blow-out losses to host Australia (23-0) and powerhouse China (11-0). They also lost 4-0 to Cambodia.
However, many came to the defence of the junior players, saying that countries don't only go to off-island tournaments to win, but use them to expose their players and develop them further.
The Marianas are not members of governing body FIFA but are members of both the Asian Football Confederation and the East Asian Football Federation and can contest competitions organised by those bodies, such as the Asian Cup.