Last week, the first ‘Forward 2.0 – Financial Governance Workshop’ was launched in Apia, the vibrant capital city of the South Pacific nation of Samoa. Following on from the success of the first iteration of these workshops, during the Forward 1.0 cycle, general secretaries and senior finance staff from all 11 OFC Member Associations, as well as staff from its regional office in Auckland, and representatives of the FIFA Member Association Division gathered to hear about new aspects of Financial Governance under the new-look Forward regulations.

Building on the vast improvements made in this area under Forward 1.0 was the key focus of the workshop, delivered through a combination of presentation, group discussions, interactive quizzes and practical exercises. There was a premium placed on listening to the experiences of all members in attendance and learning from each other. The event was split across two days and covered several modules, including central review and statutory audits under Forward 2.0: budgeting, reporting and controlling; managing creditors and debts; and activity reports, accounting principles and essential components of Governance versus Financial Governance.

The workshop generated very positive feedback among its participants, gathered by FIFA at its conclusion.

A representative from the Fijian Member Association said: “We appreciate that FIFA is bringing these workshops to the doorsteps of the member associations. These workshops enable us to learn, improve and empower our staff across the fields of good governance, accountability and transparency.”

The FIFA Member Association Division's Financial Governance team wished a warm ‘talofa’ (hello) to the Football Federation Samoa for the kind welcome and for facilitating the hosting of the workshop on the Pacific island. The positive feedback received from all participants will certainly encourage FIFA to multiply similar workshops all around the world.