The day all football fans have been waiting for has finally arrived as Fédération Internationale De Football Association (FIFA) lifted its ban over the Football Federation of Sri Lanka (FFSL), effectively from 27 August. 

The letter was sent to the FFSL by FIFA yesterday (28) after taking up the case in the Bureau of FIFA Council. The letter mentioned that they were satisfied with the below actions taken by the Ministry to earn back their trust. 

Letter read, “the Bureau took note that on 24 July 2023, an extraordinary gazette was issued by the Ministry of Youth & Sports in Sri Lanka, confirming that:

• the office-bearers would be elected for a four-year term;

• the position of General Secretary/CEO would be filled by appointment;

• the elections of a new FFSL Executive Committee would take place based on the statutes adopted by the FFSL General Assembly on 22 September 2022 

and

• an interim three-person committee representing the FFSL administration had been designated to carry out the daily administrative and other required activities of the FFSL, as well as to assist with the elections of a new FFSL Executive Committee.” 

It further read: “Additionally, the Bureau observed that on 14 August 2023, an extraordinary FFSL General Assembly was held at the request of a two-thirds majority of FFSL members. In this context, an electoral roadmap was adopted for elections to take place on 29 September 2023. Moreover, the extraordinary FFSL General Assembly appointed the members of the Electoral Appeal Committee and confirmed most of the members of the Electoral Committee (first instance) who had been appointed at the FFSL General Assembly held on 22 September 2022.”