Cyclone-battered Waithali Stadium to be repaired

By Admin 19 Jul 2023

DMG Newsroom
19 July 2023, Sittwe

Waithali Stadium, home of the Myanmar National League (MNL) club Rakhine United Football Club (RUFC), was badly damaged by Cyclone Mocha, and will be repaired at a cost of 5 billion kyats.

The owner of RUFC, Rakhapura Construction Co, has sought approval from the Myanmar Football Federation (MFF) to repair the pitch, said RUFC chairman U Hla Kyaw Win.

“We reported to the MFF chairman on May 22 about the damages to the stadium so that authorities can give guidance on reconstruction. Senior General Min Aung Hlaing also called for renovation of the stadium during his latest visit,” U Hla Kyaw Win told DMG.

The RUFC leased Waithali Stadium in 2011 from the Sports Ministry on a 30-year contract.

The stadium will be upgraded to include a football academy, two training grounds, a school, a hospital, the main stadium and a pool, and with a capacity of 11,500.

“We are trying to turn it into a sports complex while efforts are being made for the development of Arakan State. We will try our best to play at home next season,” said U Hla Kyaw Win.

“There are many football fans in Arakan State, so it is good that Waithali Stadium will be upgraded,” said football fan Ma Su Po Po Chit from Sittwe. “As an Arakanese national, I want to see football matches played in our homeland.”

The RUFC has used Waithali as its home since 2016. The MNL was suspended in 2019 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. When MNL resumed in June of last year, RUFC used the stadium of Yangon United Football Club and Thuwunna Stadium as its rented home venue.

“Audience plays a big role in football matches. Players will be encouraged if they can play at home and in front of their supporters. It will also improve the results. Arakanese fans can’t support the RUFC playing in Yangon,” said Ko Pyae Soe Paing, an ethnic Arakanese man living in Yangon.

The RUFC was established in 2009 as an amateur club, and was promoted to MNL-1 the same year.