Tag: GFF

GFF & FIFA+ TO BRING LIVE GUYANESE MATCHES TO THE WORLD

Guyana Football Federation and FIFA+, the new one-stop digital destination for football fandom, have teamed up to take Guyana football to the world. As part of its mission to give fans engaging and innovative ways of interacting with the beautiful game, FIFA+ offers free access to live football action from every corner of the globe, which now includes matches from the GFF Pro-League, GFF Women’s League, GFF Men’s Super 16 Cup and the GFF Women’s Super16 Cup.

The platform, which is available on the web, as a mobile app and on select connected devices, and is now accessible in ten languages, represents a ground-breaking approach to showcasing live football from men’s, women’s and youth leagues and cups to a global audience.

“This is a monumental forward leap for the development of Guyana’s Football. More importantly however, is the level of exposure our players will enjoy throughout the football season. Displaying our football pedigree before a global audience will vastly increase the chances of our players, both males and females securing international scholarships and professional contractual opportunities. This level of exposure will also drive the GFF to lift the standards of our football infrastructure, facilities and game management protocols, so that the viewing experience would be the best we have to offer.” President Wayne Forde.


Charlotte Burr, Director of Strategy, Corporate Development and Digital FIFA, said: “For the first time ever, our MAs can seamlessly tap into a truly global football fan base and grow a direct relationship with it on a daily basis. We are proud to work side by side with the Guyana Football Federation and are excited about helping to really grow the game across Guyana, the Caribbean and beyond.”
Since its launch, FIFA+ has steadily expanded its reach and added exciting new content streams in order to deliver a truly multifaceted digital experience.
Completely free, the platform offers an extensive archive (including all men’s and women’s FIFA World Cup™ matches), thousands of live fixtures every year, interactive games and predictors, and a slate of original documentaries, docuseries, talk shows and shorts.

By the end of 2022, FIFA+ will be streaming the equivalent of 40,000 live games per year from 100 MAs across all six confederations, including 11,000 women’s matches. FIFA+ provides live coverage ranging from Europe’s top-flight leagues to previously unserved competitions from around the world in men’s, women’s and youth football. FIFA+ can be accessed worldwide at fifaplus.com and on major app stores.

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ONE GUYANA PRESIDENT’S CUP GROUP STAGE MATCH-UP ANNOUNCED

The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) on Tuesday announced the draw for the championship round of the prestigious One Guyana President’s Cup during a live press conference at the National Cultural Centre, Homestretch Avenue, Georgetown.
The 10 regional teams now know who they will face in the round-robin group stage, before advancing to the knockout phase of the tournament, to have a chance to become the first One Guyana President’s Cup champions on January 1, 2023.
The teams were first seeded and then placed into two groups of five at the end of the draw conducted by the GFF.


The tournament focuses on expanding the reach of football across Guyana and increasing the player’s population, while at the same time creating opportunities to scout new talent within communities that were traditionally off the formal football grid.


“To have so many young talents take centre stage during the prestigious FIFA 2022 World Cup Season is without a doubt a great source of pride for my administration. Therefore, on behalf of the entire football fraternity of Guyana, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to President Ali and his Government for their investment in the development of football,” shared GFF President Wayne Forde.

The first leg of the tournament kicked off on November 13 and only the top clubs advanced to the December championship round.
“We are happy to see that the players and coaches have committed themselves to this tournament. We are taking notice of the emerging talent on display and our national team players pool will be extremely competitive and full of talent. We now await the decisions of the individual regional scouting teams and look forward to how they manage the selection process inclusive of the minimum requirements of six U20 players. There is now a real pathway into the SMNT and we are excited. Over 3,000 players have auditioned thus
far and now we are full of anticipation of what the Regional Playoffs will reveal,” explained GFF Technical Director Acting Bryan Joseph.
The ten qualified teams will battle in front of crowds at grounds across Guyana, including Leonora National Stadium, West Demerara & GFC.


“The K&S organisation is pleased to collaborate once again with the GFF in staging this prestigious tournament. We believe that our extensive event management expertise compliments very well the disciplined, professional and structured approach President Forde has instituted in the management of football from the inception of his tenure,” K&S Co-Founder Kashif Muhammad stated, adding:
“We are here to play our role in ensuring the success of the inaugural One Guyana President’s Cup.”

Fixtures for the One Guyana President’s Cup

GFF congratulates Kellman on Pro Contract

The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) on Saturday extended its congratulations to Golden Jaguars and former Western Tigers midfielder Curtez Kellman on securing a two-year professional contract with U.S. team Sporting Kansas City II.


Sporting Kansas City II, affiliated with the city’s Major League Soccer (MLS) team, is part of the new MLS Next Pro league, which is classified in the third tier of the U.S. soccer system. Kellman impressed the club during a trial facilitated through Guyanese-born former Canadian international and Sporting Kansas City striker Alex Bunbury, the Guyana Football Federation and Western Tigers.


“We are delighted for Curtez, and have every faith in him to seize this amazing opportunity and work hard to reach his full potential as a player in this crucial phase of his career,” said GFF President Wayne Forde. “Curtez is not only a hugely talented young man; his exemplary attitude, commitment to his career, and dedication to improve every aspect of his game since a young age have impressed everyone who has had the pleasure of working with him. He is a true role model for all young players in Guyana to follow.”


The MLS Next Pro is designed as a feeder system for the MLS. According to Bunbury, Kellman has all the ingredients necessary to impress the Canadian Soccer Hall of Fame player’s old club and make the step up to the top tiers of U.S. soccer.
“This is a really special moment because it opens the door for other Guyanese players to get these kinds of opportunities,” said Bunbury. “The type of player that my old club Sporting Kansas City are looking for is exactly what this young man is. He has got quality and his character is impeccable. We should all be complimenting this young man because the feedback I’m getting from everyone is that he is a class act on the field and off the field.”
Golden Jaguars Head Coach Jamaal Shabazz encouraged Kellman, who has also played for Georgetown Football Club, to “make a total commitment” to this opportunity and said he looked forward to “monitoring his progress”.

GFF’s Forde promises Waramadong an Academy Training Centre

Guyana Football Federation (GFF) President Wayne Forde has pledged to establish an Academy Training Centre (ATC) in Waramadong to boost hinterland football development, during a visit to the Region 7 community this week.
The President also donated football equipment to the village sports council and offered to organise GFF training for coaches, referees and club administrators for the Region where, because of its difficult terrain and logistical challenges, some areas are not adequately served.


The Federation regularly undertakes outreach, equipment donations, and capacity building activities in hinterland communities that are not covered within the boundaries of the GFF’s nine Regional Associations, and Forde underscored the reason for this, “It is vital for the GFF – and for me, personally – to ensure that all corners of Guyana have access to football development resources and support, as our nine Regional Associations do not cover the entire geography of the country,” Forde said.

“My meetings this week with Waramadong village leaders and the sports council were extremely positive, and we look forward to working together to develop football and to give young people in the community the opportunities they deserve to reach their full potential,” he said.

Forde said the GFF Technical Department will begin work immediately on planning for the creation of a special Academy Training Centre in the village, which boasts one of the most successful school football teams in Guyana.

The GFF’s ATC programme is an elite youth development initiative for boys and girls, which provides professional-standard sessions delivered by trained GFF-affiliated coaches. The programme, which currently only covers the GFF’s Regional Associations, has been hailed by FIFA and Concacaf as a pioneering template for football development in the Caribbean region.

“We are determined to give all talent in Guyana a chance to reach our national teams, no matter where it is based,” said Forde, who also undertook an outreach to Mabaruma in Region 1 earlier this year. “We want to reward proactive and committed football communities. No Guyanese should have to miss out on the GFF’s national football pathway just because of the limitations of the regional association structure we inherited.”

“We know the past year has been challenging for all footballers across Guyana,” he said, “but, thanks to the national vaccination programme, there is now a light at the end of the tunnel. We continue to urge the football community to fully support the vaccination drive, so that we can move out of this pandemic, protect our loved ones, and return to play very soon.”

FIFA-approved Disciplinary Code handed over to GFF Committee

Guyana Football Federation (GFF) President Wayne Forde has presented the FIFA-approved Disciplinary Code to the newly-appointed Chairman of the GFF Disciplinary Committee, enabling the Committee to begin its work with a priority on resolving outstanding cases.

The new composition of the Committee was proposed by the GFF Executive Committee and approved by the GFF Congress in December 2020. It includes Chairman Eusi Anderson, who serves as General Counsel at CSM-DANCO, State Counsel Shawnette Austin and former Guyana Trades Union Congress Vice President Lancelot Baptiste.

The Congress voted to replace the former Disciplinary Committee following a long period of inactivity and a lack of communication that led to a backlog of outstanding disciplinary matters.

During a meeting with the new Chairman on Friday last, GFF President Wayne Forde underlined the urgent need to address and resolve the list of outstanding cases as soon as possible.

“It is vital that the new Disciplinary Committee moves swiftly to provide clarity on matters that have remained unresolved for far too long,” President Forde said. “We look forward to seeing progress on those issues as we work to enhance the governance and reputation of football. The Executive Committee has every confidence that the new, highly-qualified members of the Committee will act with integrity and professionalism in the interests of good governance.”

The GFF Disciplinary Committee is one of three independent judicial bodies within the framework of football governance, alongside the Ethics Committee and the Appeal Committee. It examines and passes judgement on all disciplinary matters relating to GFF members, affiliates, officials, players, clubs, intermediaries and match agents.

“I am humbled by this appointment as the Chairperson of the Disciplinary Committee of the Guyana Football Federation. I look forward to working with the football fraternity in Guyana, our partners in the Caribbean and our partners globally to improve the circumstances of football in Guyana,” Anderson said.

“Undoubtedly there will be challenges, undoubtedly there will be opportunities, but my resolve remains to bring the best of my skills, ability and time to bear in this new dispensation. I look forward to serving everyone in football and working with the local fraternity to build strong strategic partnerships for the overall improvement of football.”

GFF distances self from ‘Halendino Sports’ Trials

Following the announcement of an entity, ‘Halendino Sports’, that it would be hosting trials for young athletes in the disciplines of cricket, basketball and football, the Guyana Football Federation(GFF) has distanced itself from the event.

A release to the media read; “The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) takes note of the recent announcement by an entity called Halendino Sports, as covered in the Kaieteur News article “Halendino Sports to host trials” on January 14, 2021.”

The ‘Haledino Sports’ poster advertising trials for young athletes

“The GFF would like to make it clear to all members of the football community that Halendino Sports is not affiliated to the Federation and this activity has not been approved or sanctioned by the Federation. As such, no registered member of the Federation is authorised to participate in this activity”.

It further read; “Under the GFF Constitution, and in the interests of good governance, player safety and professional standards, GFF members are only authorised to participate in officially sanctioned events. Any participation in unsanctioned activities may result in punitive action, including suspension”.

The GFF also cautioned that at this time, any on field activity must be reviewed and approved by the National COVID-19 Task Force before permission is granted by the Federation.

They concluded; “GFF urges the football community to continue to follow and obey the COVID-19 regulations and protocols as ordered by the Government of Guyana to protect the health and wellbeing of the general populace during the pandemic”.