Increasing the number of FIFA-certified fields in the Philippines is critical to grow football talent in the Philippines, according to E-Sports International, a leading builder of sports facilities in the Philippines, and Acousto-Scan, a trusted international laboratory that specializes in testing sporting and playground surfaces accredited by global sports governing bodies.
In a recent briefing, E-Sports and Acousto-Scan, emphasized that standardization ensures that football fields in the Philippines will be the same as the football fields in any part of the world.
According to Anthony Apparailly, Executive Sports Director of Acousto-Scan, the Philippines can accelerate the development of football talent by building more FIFA-certified football fields across the country.
“Ideally, the country should have 12 to 15 football fields with valid FIFA certification at any given time, especially if the country plans to attract opportunities in hosting international competitions. I’ve tested pitches everywhere in Asia and I would put the Philippines at the same level as Singapore, Korea, Malaysia and Taiwan.
In terms of quality, the Philippines can hold its own against these countries but there is still some room for improvement in terms of the number of fields. Since the Philippines has many disparate islands, I believe you need to have at least one FIFA-certified field in each of your major regions,” Apparailly said.
Global Standards
Audris Romualdez, founder and managing director of E-Sports International, echoes Apparailly’s sentiments that establishing standardized fields will increase the quality of the game.
“If we want international athletes, we must have international sports venues,” Audris Romualdez concurred.
“Our mission in E-Sports is to make sure that every field we build is up to global standards. There are three key things we keep in mind when embarking on a project—ensuring the performance and safety of the athlete; fully complying with the requirements and recommendations of an accredited laboratory such as Acousto-Scan in order to pass the certification; and protecting the investment of the owner.”
To help pitch owners maintain the quality of their field, E-Sports provides the first year of maintenance for free, and supplies field care equipment as well as training for the groundskeepers. With routine and specific maintenance, E-Sports can protect the investment of the field owner and the safety of the athletes.
