The Honourable Prime Minister of Samoa Afioga Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi issued a strong challenge to Samoa’s football elite ahead of the 2019 National Senior Football League competition when he officially opened the season last month.

Hon. Malielegaoi, who is also patron of the Football Federation Samoa, delivered the keynote address to football officials and the 16 clubs participating in the event.

“30 years ago, the Government of Samoa gave this land to FFS officials to run football in the country,” the Prime Minister said of the property which houses the headquarters of football in Samoa.

“There are not other sports in Samoa which have such great facilities as football. However it’s been 30 years and we haven’t received any positive results from international matches against countries like PNG and other Melanesian islands.

“Despite my busy schedule, I made myself available for this event so I could speak and issue a challenge to you all to make use of this great facility. I challenge the President and the board to work on the development to formulate good results at international tournaments.”

A strong challenge from the 2007 Pacific Games silver medallist and leader of the nation since 1998.

Samoa’s National League is the pinnacle event on the annual competition calendar and features three divisions: Men’s Premier, Women’s Premier and Men’s First Division.

The winner of the Men’s Premier League represents Samoa in the OFC Champions League, Oceania’s premier international club competition, and thus draws a strong lineup of Samoa’s most established football clubs, based in Upolu.

Teams which participate in the 14 week competition are offered meaningful assistance from the FFS which provides two new sets of uniforms for the men’s and women’s premier divisions.