PORT MORESBY, (THE NATIONAL) – The expansion of one of Papua New Guinea’s premier sporting venues, the National Football Stadium (NFS), to meet World Cup rugby league requirements will depend on the availability of government funding.
According to an NFS representative, the design of the stadium allowed for further expansion.
The spokesperson for the venue developer, Oil Search Limited, said the initial plan was to have the NFS re-developed in two phases — the first phase, which was completed in February, enabled the ground to hold a capacity of 15,000; the second phase was to increase the sitting capacity by 10,000, making the NFS capable of holding 25,000 fans.
“We believe we meet the organisers’ requirements.
“We have met with them and are discussing a few minor changes to be in full compliance with their needs,” the spokesperson, who did not wish to be named, said.
The redevelopment of the NFS was conducted under the national infrastructure tax credit scheme, with counter-finding from the government and Oil Search.
The oil exploration firm also provided the management and project supervision to ensure the project was delivered on time and within the approved budget.
The spokesperson said the facilities provided by the NFS was on par with stadiums of comparable size around the world.
