New sports centre in the offing
“We have already sealed the deal and the construction of the sports academy to be known as NSSF Sports Centre will start in the next four weeks. They will hand over the project to us after 18 months.”
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“We have already sealed the deal and the construction of the sports academy to be known as NSSF Sports Centre will start in the next four weeks. They will hand over the project to us after 18 months.”
Dar es Salaam. World class players of the future could hail from Tanzania, thanks to a ground-breaking partnership between the National Social Security Fund (NSSF) and Spain’s Real Madrid.
Real Madrid, the world’s richest football club in terms of revenue, have signed a deal worth Sh16bn with NSSF to construct an ultra-modern sports complex in Kigamboni, on the outskirts of Dar es Salaam. The construction of the new sports academy will start in May, this year, according to the contract signed yesterday by the NSSF director general, Ramadhan Dau and Real Madrid’s technical Director, Ruben De la Red Gutierrez.
Dau revealed that they have already sealed the deal and that the construction of the sports academy to be known as NSSF Sports Centre would get underway in the next four weeks. The NSSF boss thanked the European champions for their push in unearthing the country’s new generation of sports stars and promoting tourism.
“We have already sealed the deal and the construction of the sports academy to be known as NSSF Sports Centre will start in the next four weeks. They will hand over the project to us after 18 months.”
“The club (Real Madrid) will provide technical and practical support to the development of the sports facility. They will hand over the project to us after 18 months,” he said.
Dau said he was optimistic the partnership will help Tanzania attain success in sports as well as in tourism sector.
Before signing the deal, Real Madrid officials Rayco Garcia (head of Real Madrid sports academies), Francisco Martin (Juan Jose Milla (coach) and technical director Ruben de La Red visited Mwasonga Village in Kigamboni, where the facility will be erected. Upon completion, the centre will have five modern football pitches, hostels for visitors, shops, swimming pools and an-18-hole golf course.
For his part, Garcia said: “We are delighted to welcome Tanzania to the Real Madrid family, further enhancing our club’s relationship with the African continent.
“This exciting partnership, combining football and community engagement will enable us to share our expertise to help Tanzania develop an effective football infrastructure.”
