24 municipalities apply to host new football training center

Two dozen municipalities have entered the bidding war for the new national football training center, the sport's governing body said Friday.

The Korea Football Association plans to open a new National Football Center in 2023, amid increasing demand for the existing NFC in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, just north of Seoul.

In addition to serving as the major training ground for national teams in all age groups, the NFC, which opened in 2001, also hosts seminars for coaches and referees.

The KFA accepted applications from interested regions, and said 24 local governments threw their hats into the ring.

Near the capital city, in Gyeonggi Province, six cities have applied, such as Icheon, Gimpo and Yongin.

North Gyeongsang Province, in the southeast, saw six bids.

There were three interested municipalities from South Gyeongsang Province, also in the southeastern part of the country, and three from North Jeolla Province, south of Seoul.

The metropolitan city of Ulsan, 400 kilometers southeast of Seoul, and Sejong, the administrative capital located 130 kilometers south of the capital, are also in the running.

The KFA said the new facility will cover 330,000 square meters of land and will feature a 1,000-seat stadium, 12 natural and artificial grass pitches, four futsal fields, a multipurpose gym, a football science lab, a fitness center, a swimming pool, and a dormitory for 300 players.

The KFA will settle on the site by March, with a goal of completing the new NFC by June 2023 on a budget of 150 billion won ($134.7 million). (Yonhap)