Taiwan withdraws subsidy after football match cancellation

TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Taiwan's Sports Administration (體育署), the government body overseeing athletic programs across the island, has withdrawn an NT$3 million (US$90,909) subsidy previously earmarked for the Chinese Taipei Football Association (CTFA, 足協). The punitive measure, announced Wednesday during a contentious government hearing, comes in response to the association's mishandling of preparations for the 2025 FIFA International Women's Tier-1 Match, a prestigious event in women's football.

The financial penalty stems from the embarrassing cancellation of an international women's football match against New Zealand that was scheduled to take place on Tuesday at the Nanzih Football Stadium (楠梓足球場) in Kaohsiung, Taiwan's southern port city. New Zealand's national team made the decision to withdraw from the competition after multiple field inspections determined the playing surface was substandard and potentially dangerous, despite hurried attempts by local groundskeepers to rehabilitate the turf during Taiwan's recent Tomb-Sweeping Festival holiday.

The Chinese Taipei Football Association issued a public apology to disappointed fans and promised to strengthen its field management protocols, including new collaborative efforts with domestic football clubs on natural turf maintenance standards. These assurances, however, did little to placate angry lawmakers who convened a special Legislative Yuan (Taiwan's parliament) committee meeting on Wednesday to demand accountability for what they characterized as a national embarrassment on the international sports stage.

The political fallout crossed partisan lines, with legislators from both ruling and opposition parties united in their calls for the football association to face meaningful consequences. Kuomintang (KMT, 國民黨) legislator Ko Chih-e (柯志恩) directed her criticism at the Ministry of Education, which oversees sports development in Taiwan. Minister of Education Cheng Ying-yao (鄭英耀) acknowledged the gravity of the situation, characterizing the incident as "an embarrassment" to Taiwan's international reputation and calling for a comprehensive review of protocols for hosting international sporting events.

During the legislative hearing, Sports Administration Director Cheng Shih-chung (鄭世忠) presented a timeline that further undermined the football association's position. Cheng revealed that CTFA had finalized plans for the international match as early as November of last year and had secured the Kaohsiung venue by February, providing what should have been ample time for proper field preparation and turf maintenance. The director placed full responsibility on the association for failing to coordinate an alternative venue when initial concerns about field conditions emerged.