Chung outlines difficulties naming local stadium after Pelé

Jamaica Football Federation general secretary, Dennis Chung, explained that a collaborative effort from local government and other entities will be needed, should FIFA issue a directive that all countries name a stadium in honour of the late football legend, Pele.

Pele passed away at 82 last Thursday, after a year-long battle with colon cancer.

The desire for a stadium in the name of Pele in each of FIFA's affiliate countries was proffered by president Gianni Infantino yesterday who is in Brazil for today's funeral and talked to local reporters. Infantino said that the gesture is to ensure that Pele's football legacy is enshrined for future generations.

"We are also going to ask every country in the world to name one of their football stadiums with the name of Pele because in 50 years or 100 years from now when children are asking who was Pele, they need to remember him all over the world in a place where you score goals, where you feel emotions, where boys and girls can play and we need to make sure that this happens," Infantino told reporters.

Chung said should the suggestion becomes a directive from FIFA, the matter would not be simple as it would need government intervention or the entity that owns a mini-stadium on the island.

"If it is a request from the president of FIFA, I'm sure it will be discussed. I don't know that we as the JFF would own a stadium to say we can definitely do that. We can make recommendations, but that is not something we can do on our own," Chung told STAR Sports. "It has to be a combination of the government or some other entity that owns the stadium, mini stadium or something like that, but we (on our own) certainly couldn't do that."

Mourners began to pay their respect to Pele yesterday as they passed by his coffin, which was available for public viewing inside Vila Belmiro Stadium, the home ground of Santos, where he played for most of his club career. Tributes poured in since his death last Thursday, honouring his life and legacy on and off the field.

Chung said any plans to honour him in this manner would have to be approved by the JFF executive.

"I can't answer that. That is something that has to be discussed at a board level and a decision would have to be made there," Chung said.

The funeral will take place at 8 a.m. Jamaica time.