Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports Sunil Kumara Gamage met with the Sri Lanka Under-15 National Football Team participating in the inaugural FIFA U15 World Cup and Festival in Baku, Azerbaijan, on Wednesday (28).
The Minister, accompanied by Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL) President Jaswar Umar, visited the young players to encourage their participation in the historic international football event.
The inaugural FIFA U15 World Cup and Festival provides young footballers with an opportunity to gain international exposure, develop their skills and experience competition against teams from other countries.
Speaking during the visit, Minister Gamage highlighted the importance of providing young athletes with opportunities to compete internationally.
“This is an opportunity for our young players to learn, gain experience, and compete in a world-class football environment at an early age. It is a stepping stone for every player to dream bigger and work towards becoming a professional footballer in the future,” he said.
Chairman of the National Sports Council Priyantha Ekanayake also joined the visit and observed the matches held earlier in the day.
Meanwhile, the FFSL announced plans to introduce similar football carnivals in cities across Sri Lanka to encourage greater youth participation, identify emerging talent and prepare young players for international competitions.
The Federation said continued investment in grassroots football development and international exposure is expected to strengthen Sri Lanka’s youth and senior national teams.
Sri Lanka’s participation in the inaugural FIFA U15 event is seen as another step towards developing the country’s next generation of footballers. (Newswire)