TELEFOMIN district is keen to become part of the PNG Football Association (PNGFA) with plans already in place.
This is to complement the annually Min soccer tournament hosted in the district with the rise of many football talents.
Although it is not an affiliate of PNGFA, the district has been hosting its season competition which begins every April and is played right throughout the year.
For the Min tournament it is hosted every end of the year during the Christmas period and it has been going on for over 15 years.
Speaking after the grand final of the Min Soccer Tournament, Minister for Defence and Telefomin MP Solan Mirisim said there are a lot of potential talents but there is no exposure.
While saying this, he said he plans to have the Telefomin District Soccer Association become part of PNGFA once the Tabubil-Telefomin road reaches his district so that football talents in Telefomin can get the exposure needed.
“I’m impressed with the skills displayed today by both teams and right throughout the tournament. There is no doubt that we have a lot of talented soccer players in our district. Who would have taught that a team from the Framin would win the Min tournament? Some teams that we supposed would have never won the tournament have done it and that is the real soccer I want to see.
“Congratulations to all the teams that took part and more so to the teams that made it to the finals. You all have displayed the true spirit of sportsmanship and real soccer,” Mirisim reiterated.
Minister Mirisim also thanked some of the teams that travelled from Western province to take part in the tournament.
He said the Western teams continue to bring in the challenge to local teams which has lifted the standard of football in the district.
“Soon we will register to PNGFA once our road is completed. It is too expensive to fly a team out to compete in the national, regional or provincial tournament because we depend on airplane.
“Once our road is fully completed we will affiliate with PNGFA so our talented players can represent the district in provincial and regional tournaments.
“It is my desire to continue to support football in the district because one day I want a Telefomin player to represent the country and many of you young players to play in the national competition.
“Minister Mirisim said 2021 will be the last time to host the Min tournament because 2022 will be the election year,” Mirisim said.
The Min Soccer tournament was the brainchild of Minister Mirisim prior to him becoming a politician.
He started this soccer tournament back in 2005 when he was an ordinary person living back in his village.
The sole reason why he began hosting this tournament was to keep the youths in the district busy and away from social problems during the festive period.
Apart from the soccer tournament, 30 women’s team competed in volleyball with the grand final played on the same day.
Minister Mirisim commended the sponsors who have supported the 2020 tournament particularly Ipwenz Construction Limited (K50, 000.00), Clean Green Energy Limited (K20, 000.00), Tumla Investment (K50, 000.00), Telefomin DDA (K50, 000.00) and other stakeholders and sponsors who have been supporting the Min tournament ever since.