Jockey Club's HK$120 million injection to fire up soccer development in Hong Kong
HKFA targets seven areas in using funding over five years to benefit local football
The Hong Kong Football Association has targeted seven areas for development after unveiling a lucrative HK$120 million five-year partnership with the Hong Kong Jockey Club.
The new funding scheme - called the "Jockey Club HKFA 5-Year Football Development Programme" - was officially launched on Monday to support grass-roots football, youth development, women's football, futsal, sport science support, referee development and coaching.
We can spend four times more on our representative team, and three times more on our senior men's team and youth football development. We are also going to spend a lot more on women's football and futsal, coach education and referee training
Currently, the HKFA receives HK$25 million from the Home Affairs Bureau and a HK$18 million subsidy from the Leisure and Cultural Services Department [LCSD] each year.
HKFA chief executive Mark Sutcliffe said the new funding from the Jockey Club, which amounts to HK$24 million a year, would allow them to reallocate resources.
"Most of the money from the HAB will pay for the payroll costs of the FA, plus our legal services and marketing. The LCSD money will go to the representative team training and competition. The Jockey Club money will go to football development," said Sutcliffe.
"With the money we get from the Jockey Club and the government, we can spend four times more on our representative team, and three times more on our senior men's team and youth football development. We are also going to spend a lot more on women's football and futsal, coach education and referee training."
The Jockey Club's cash injection will allow the HKFA to hire a full-time fitness coach to oversee teams in the academy and the national squad.