Taiwanese stadium construction plans aim to boost football development

In a move to underpin the launch of a professional football league in the country, the Taiwanese Government is committing NT$2.4 billion (US$79.7 million) for the construction of six sport stadiums in each of the nation’s special municipalities.

The plan was announced by Lin Te-fu, Director-General of Taiwan’s Sports Administration following a recent visit by a delegation from Japanese club Vegalta Sendai to the Legislative Yuan in Taipei.

To be funded under the country’s Forward-looking Infrastructure Development Program, Lin hopes that the project will kick-start a true Taiwanese professional football league consisting of six professional clubs based in the six cities, with main sponsorship from each city government and major corporations based locally.

The nation’s sports officials outlined plans to build six soccer stadiums nationwide as part of efforts to establish a professional league following a visit by a delegation from Japanese club Vegalta Sendai to the Legislative Yuan in Taipei yesterday.

Local sports commentator and Honorary Chairman of the Taiwan Football Development Association Max Shih pointed to the initial formation and management of Vegalta Sendai as a successful model for the Taiwanese football community to emulate.

Shih sees that Taiwan can learn from Japan’s experience - citing ongoing economic, cultural and sports exchanges between the two nations - while acknowledging that launching professional football clubs has met with difficulty and numerous obstacles in Taiwan.

The current Taiwanese top league, the Football Premier League, consists of eight clubs, four of which are university sides and none of which are fully professional.

Taiwan, referred to as Chinese Taipei by world football governing body FIFA in deference to the People’s Republic of China, sits in 151st position in the FIFA men’s ranking, well behind China PR who sit in 62nd. 

Image: Taiwan's striking National Stadium.

21st August 2017 - PROTESTS DISRUPT OPENING OF TAIPEI 2017 SUMMER UNIVERSIADE

21st January 2016 - TAIWAN CITY OF TAINAN TO DEVELOP US$50 MILLION INTERNATIONAL BASEBALL STADIUM 

10th February 2016 - CHINA TO HAVE 20,000 SCHOOLS SPECIALISING IN FOOTBALL BY 2017

29th December 2015 - NEW NATIONAL PALACE MUSEUM BRANCH OPENS IN TAIWAN

18th December 2015 - CHINA ADVANCES MASSIVE INVESTMENT IN YOUTH FOOTBALL DEVELOPMENT 

24th May 2013 - TAIWAN SPORT ADMINISTRATOR DECLARES CANDICACY FOR INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE PRESIDENCY