The development officer of the world’s football governing body (FIFA), Mr Sampon Kablan arrived in Banjul yesterday for a three-day working visit.

Accompanied by Mr Eric Harrison, another senior official of FIFA, the Ivorian, Sampon Kablan, will this morning inspect The Gambia’s first-ever artificial turf ground constructed at the Box Bar Mini-stadium in Brikama. The modern football pitch is part of FIFA-sponsored projects to affiliated national associations in their bid to develop the game.

Kablan is expected to submit his report to the world governing body before formal inauguration of the centre, which is FIFA’s second Goal Projects in the country.

It is now official; the Football pitch of Box Bar Mini Stadium in Brikama would soon be turned artificial.

That was the outcome of FIFA Development Officer, Sampon J Kablan’s visit to Brikama last Friday as part of his routine tour in The Gambia.

Speaking in a Press Briefing on Friday evening at the New GFA Administrative Building in Kanifing, Mr Kablan revealed that he was very satisfied with the state of Brikama Min Stadium and has already given his approval for the artificial tuff.

Mr Kablan pointed out that the material for the tuff would be arriving in Banjul at the end of September this year.

“The work would only take three months to be completed and by January next year you will have your first artificial pitch,” he revealed.

FIFA development officer added that they would be training two peoples to take care of the maintenance of the pitch.

Mr Kablan said that artificial tuff is more resistant than natural stuff as many matches can be played on the pitch daily without any consequences and the tuff would also allow a faster game and football would produce more skillful players.

It could be recalled that according FIFA conditions, the tuff would be laid on a stadium belonging to GFA and should be an existing stadium.