Bermuda Football Association's FIFA-funded training base, complete with synthetic pitch and floodlights, should be up-and-running at Gymnasium Field by the end of this month.

Costing $1.3 million, the facility will become the training headquarters for all Bermuda's national teams and will also be available for domestic clubs and other users to enjoy.

FIFA consultant Dr. Eric Harrison checked up on the installation of the artificial turf earlier this week and gave it the green light, predicting it would be finished by Christmas.

David Sabir, general secretary of Bermuda Football Association, believes the complex is vital for the development of local football.

"Gym Field will be absolutely amazing in terms of what it will allow us (the BFA) to accomplish, as well as other users of the facility," he said. "It should be completed by the end of this month."

Dr. Harrison is due back on the Island in the first week of January to officially hand over the training centre to the BFA. The predicted completion for the FIFA Goal Project facility had originally been for mid-August but it has taken longer than first expected.