October 3, 2025 - Georgetown, Guyana
The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) today announced that Guyana will be among the first of the Caribbean nations to benefit from the FIFA Arena Project, a groundbreaking global initiative aimed at creating safe and accessible spaces for young people to play football. Two state-of-the-art all-weather mini-pitches will be installed in Haslington on the East Coast of Demerara and Retrieve, Linden, bringing new hope and opportunities to hundreds of boys and girls across these communities.
The announcement was made during a press briefing held at the GFF Secretariat, led by GFF President Wayne Forde, who was joined by President of the Upper Demerara Football Association Wainwright Bethune and President of the East Coast Demerara Football Association Rickford Profitt.
The two mini-pitches, manufactured by Edel Grass BV of the Netherlands at a cost of USD 98,000 (GY$21 million) each, have already been shipped and are scheduled to arrive in Guyana on December 3, 2025. The GFF will be seeking a waiver of taxes and duties from the Government to ensure the pitches can be transported directly to their sites upon arrival. Regional associations will prepare the sub-bases at an estimated cost of GY$4.5–5.5 million per site, with support and oversight from the Federation. Installation, testing and commissioning will be undertaken by FIFA and the manufacturer.
Speaking at the launch, Forde highlighted the transformative potential of this project for grassroots football in Guyana. “Early this year, the FIFA Council approved the installation of 1,000 mini-pitches globally to accelerate the expansion of the FIFA Football for Schools programme, to encourage the growth of grassroots football, and to create safe, accessible spaces for young people, particularly those living in underserved communities,” he said.
The GFF President further noted that infrastructure remains one of the greatest challenges to football development in Guyana but commended the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport for its efforts in upgrading and expanding facilities nationwide. He said the GFF remains committed to working as a key partner in this national effort to give young players better environments to thrive.
“Guyana will be among the first members of the Caribbean Football Union to kick-start this transformational project,” he added.
Forde emphasized that the management and maintenance of the facilities will be critical to their sustainability. “Thereafter, the management, maintenance, and operations of each facility will be carried out by the respective Regional Association, guided by clear policies and regulations, coupled with strict oversight from the GFF. I cannot overemphasize the importance of proper care and maintenance of these pitches. I take this opportunity to strongly encourage President Bethune and President Profitt to work closely with the GFF and their members to protect and preserve these facilities for the benefit of future generations.”
He also reiterated his ambition to see similar facilities across all regions of Guyana. “Looking ahead, it is my goal to see one mini-pitch installed in every Regional Association, with the longer-term ambition of having many such facilities across the landscape of Guyana. To achieve this, we will continue to lobby our stakeholders and partners. These facilities will also provide numerous opportunities for branding and naming rights, and the GFF is in the process of valuing and packaging these assets to share with interested partners.”
Forde concluded by expressing deep gratitude to FIFA President Gianni Infantino for his vision and support. “On behalf of the many boys and girls who will benefit from these facilities, I extend heartfelt gratitude to FIFA’s President, Mr Gianni Infantino for this visionary initiative. It stands as one of the most impactful investments in the future of Guyana’s football, and we are committed to ensuring it delivers, by bringing people and communities closer together and unlocking an abundance of talent.”
For more information, please contact:
Communications and Public Relations Department
Tel: 592 227 8758 ext. 105 (o)
