The ‘Win in Oceania’ development programme is a three-year initiative that will leave a lasting legacy for OFC and its 11 member associations.

Launching in January 2009, the US$8million project aims to boost national competitions, improve infrastructure, strengthen administrative procedures and enhance media capabilities across all member associations while encouraging participation in futsal and grassroots programmes. It also aims to improve the image of the OFC and its members regionally and worldwide.

OFC is managing the FIFA-funded project through a team of six project managers. The role of the project managers is to partner the member associations and assist them in implementing programmes relevant to their needs. Project managers will ensure each country achieves the results and objectives fixed by the Win in Oceania programme.

FIFA support

In 2008, OFC worked on the long term planning for ‘Win in Oceania’ and gave a series of presentations at the OFC Extraordinary Congress held in Noumea in June with FIFA President Joseph S. Blatter and FIFA General Secretary Jerome Valcke in attendance. President Blatter said the project offered OFC an important opportunity to build football in the region.

OFC President David Chung says that the success of the project is paramount.

“Win in Oceania is a significant project and it reaffirms FIFA’s position as one of the most important financial contributors to each country within the Oceania region. Therefore it is imperative that each member association takes ownership and meets the set targets,” says President Chung.

FIFA will initially provide funding from 2009 to 2011 but if WIO is successful then FIFA’s support may continue through to 2014.