Over $12M given to Regional Member Associations to fund Senior Football Leagues

He added that “M-FAP is important to the entire football fraternity. We have already seen M-FAP’s impact on football in Guyana over the last three years. We recognised during last year’s Regional Associations League that additional resources and funding were required, so this year, we have answered that call by allocating more funds to each RA.

Forde noted that the financial programme is “unprecedented and very unique to Guyana. As a member of the Caribbean Football Union (CFU), no other country within our hemispheric football body, CFU in particular, has a well-structured funding programme as is the case here.”

Also present at the simple June 22 handover ceremony, which was held at the GFF Georgetown Secretariat, were Senior Men’s National Team Head Coach Jamaal Shabazz and GFF General Secretary Ian Alves.

Shabazz stressed that the regional league is an integral platform for identifying national and international talent in Guyana.

“It’s an important stepping stone for the national team because the Regional Associations produce players, coaches and teams for the Elite League…and from there, they are in a pool where they are chosen for national and international football. GFF has taken a position with M-FAP in terms of support, and now the onus is on the Regional Associations to take that support and run with it,” Shabazz said.

The Georgetown Football Association (GFA) will be the first to launch its league.

GFA President Otis James confirmed that the kickoff date is Sunday, June 25. “This 2023 season will be a bit more competitive because we came from the Covid-19 situation. Now we are much better equipped.

We are looking forward to Sunday at 6 p.m. to start the senior men’s league,” James said.

President of the Upper Demerara Football Association, Wainwright Bethune said the M-FAP funding has placed his Association in a good position to start their league.

“As we all know…we’ve had some issues in terms of having a regular senior league, and today…placed us in a good position so that we can start our 2023-2024 season. So, we are very much looking forward to that,” Bethune shared.

Bartica Football Association President Alden Marslowe said they are ready to build on the success of last year’s league in Bartica, with nine clubs registered to compete this season.

“Last year, we had a very successful Senior Men’s League at Bartica, and once again, we are really happy that the GFF has come on board with the M-FAP programme to ensure that our league runs into a second year, and we’re looking forward to making it a success again,” Marslowe said.

Essequibo/Pomeroon Football Association President Marvin Pearson added that he is “quite excited about the Senior Men’s League, which will be kicked off on July 8.” (GFF)