Khanewal District Coordination Officer Usman Muazzam told Dawn on Friday that the district government had leased out an eight-acre piece of land to FIFA for 30 years for the project that would be the first FIFA-funded facility in Punjab.

He said an accord in this regard had been signed between the district government and FIFA and civil work at the site near Lahore Mor would be taken in hand very soon.

He said the FIFA had approved eight goal-post projects in eight cities of the country, including Khanewal, Sukkur, Jacobabad, Abbottabad, Quetta, Karachi and Peshawar.

"These projects will greatly help and enhance the standard of football in the country," he said.

He said it was an honour for the people of Khanewal that the city had been chosen for this project.

He said after the completion of this project Khanewal would be able to host football matches of national as well as international level.

Published in Dawn, June 21st, 2014