May 9, 2026, Georgetown – Dubbed the single largest investment in youth football in Guyana’s sporting history to date, the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), in collaboration with FIFA, officially launched the Youth Ensemble Programme on Saturday, May 9, 2026, at the National Training Centre (NTC), Providence.
The groundbreaking initiative, the first of its kind in Guyana, is designed to transform the structure and delivery of youth football nationwide through a coordinated, year-round competition framework focused on player development, talent identification, and long-term national growth.
The programme will introduce national competitions for boys at the U13, U15 and U17 levels across all nine Regional Associations, with matches officially commencing on May 16, 2026. A U20 Men’s Championship is also scheduled to be introduced in 2027.
For the inaugural phase, the U13 and U15 categories will be contested at the regional level, with U13 matches scheduled for Saturdays and U15 matches on Sundays through July. Competition in the U17 division is scheduled to begin in August.
Speaking during the official launch, President of the GFF, Wayne Forde, described the initiative as a transformational step for football development in Guyana.
“This programme represents more than the organization of football competitions. It is a deliberate investment in the future of our young people, the future of our communities, and ultimately, the future of Guyanese football.
The Youth Ensemble Programme is a joint effort between the GFF and FIFA to institute a sustainable annual calendar of structured youth football competitions throughout Guyana. It is designed to create a modern and organized framework for youth football development, while ensuring that our young players are consistently engaged in meaningful competitions and guided by proper technical support.
Under this programme, National Youth Championships for both boys and girls will be played in accordance with the GFF’s revised 2026 football season calendar.
This programme would not have been possible without FIFA, our Regional Associations, GFF staff, Match Coordinators, and all Stakeholders who have contributed and continue to contribute to this groundbreaking project,” Forde stated.
Technical Director Bryan Joseph also provided a technical overview of the initiative, outlining its significance for player development, club growth, and national talent scouting.
“The Youth Ensemble Programme aims to expand the national scouting pool through structured competitions, providing greater opportunities for young talent to be recognized.
A core pillar of this initiative is talent identification and player development, strengthened through consistent youth competitions similar to the UEFA and U.S. football models. We envision engaging approximately 130 clubs nationwide and directly impacting more than 3,000 boys across the various age categories,” Joseph explained.
Youth Ensemble will be played in two distinct phases. The first, the Intra-Association Phase, will see each Regional Association organize league-format competitions involving eligible and properly registered clubs within their respective age categories.
The second phase, the National Championship Playoffs, will see U13 and U15 clubs divided into four groups, culminating in semi-finals and national championship matches using a combination of round-robin and knockout formats. The top two teams from each Regional Association will advance to compete for the title of National Club Champion in their respective divisions.
Child safeguarding will remain a compulsory component of all Youth Ensemble activities, in keeping with the Federation’s Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Rights of the Child Commission. The initiative is also aligned with FIFA’s global Child Safeguarding Strategy, which establishes standards for prevention, reporting, risk management, and education across all Member Associations.
Matches will be played in communities throughout Guyana, ensuring nationwide participation and expanding access to structured youth football opportunities for young players across the country.
The competition calendar has also been strategically aligned with school holiday periods and the preparation cycle for international youth tournaments. This approach is expected to strengthen early talent identification, improve preparation timelines for national teams, and create a more efficient pathway for youth player development.
With the launch of the Youth Ensemble Programme, the GFF and FIFA have signaled a new era for youth football in Guyana, one built on structure, opportunity, safeguarding, and sustained investment in the next generation of players.
