Guyana will partner with the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) to establish 10 mini-football pitches across the country, expanding opportunities for young people and strengthening grassroots football.
President Dr Mohamed Irfaan Ali announced the initiative on Thursday during a meeting with visiting FIFA President Gianni Infantino, noting that the facilities will be developed through a co-investment arrangement between the Government and FIFA.
The president explained that while FIFA initially proposed two pitches, the government offered to expand the project to 10, with the necessary designs already available with the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport expected to work with FIFA on implementation.
President Ali said the investment forms part of the government’s broader efforts to develop sporting infrastructure and recognise the economic potential of sports.
“We know football as not only a game. There is an economy around football, and if we do it right, the economy around football, around sports, can lead to massive economic and social gains in our society,” he said.
He also proposed collaborating with FIFA to establish a world-class football tournament in Guyana, capable of attracting regional and international participation, television rights and commercial investment.
“Football is for everyone, everywhere. What is missing for a boy or a girl born in this part of the world to have more opportunities and chances to become one of the top players? What is missing is infrastructure and competitions. And we will invest together in both,” Infantino emphasised.
The president said discussions on the tournament should begin before the end of this year, with the aim of developing a sustainable competition that could eventually expand across the Caribbean.
He commended Infantino for championing opportunities for smaller footballing nations, noting that greater representation on the international stage allows countries to showcase their talent and potential.
One of the ten mini pitches was commissioned today at Haslington on the East Coast of Demerara.