After coordinating a successful Fiji Mens National Team tour to USA in 2007, Arif Khan will join the San Francisco Seals  as an investor, and with the Marketing and Sales team.

The match between Fiji Mens Soccer and SF Seals had a record attendance especially in the Fiji community residing in California. Despite a strong rugby following in Fiji, many are ardent soccer fans. The Bay area Fiji community have not identified with a soccer team playing competitive soccer.  Khan will assist in marketing to the Fiji and different ethnic communities and youth clubs. He joins the Marketing and Sales team, focusing in the East Bay Area.

 

Arif Khan was born in the soccer crazy town of Ba. He grew up playing soccer with bare feet in the streets of Yalalevu. Khan went on to play in the Ba youth teams until he represented the Fiji U17 Youth Team at the Youth World Cup Qualifiers in Australia. He played club soccer for Ba Soccer Team, a championship team in Fiji . After his brief stint with Ba, he received calls ups to the Fiji U20 and Fiji U23 team but opted for education, going to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia where he played college soccer from 1991-1995, graduating with a degree in Accounting and business management. In 1996, Khan migrated to the US.

“Fiji soccer has so much potential with a good pool of talent. However, they lack exposure, and playing in more competitive soccer. I hope to work with the Fiji FA and the Fiji coach, Carlos Buzzetti in giving some of these talented kids a shot. Once Fiji has a pool of at least 20-30 players, plying their trade in competitive leagues abroad, Fiji can start dreaming about qualifying for  a world cup spot. It is a long ways to go but not impossible if hard work and commitment is involved," said Khan.

Khan is married to Zain Shakila and has 3 children. He lives in Hayward and owns and runs his real estate and mortgage business there.

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