Latest update April 4th, 2025 6:13 AM
Government investing heavily on improving sports in Guyana – President Ali
By Rawle Toney
Kaieteur News – As President Irfaan Ali aims to transform the Land of Many Waters to resemble the country’s new-found riches, streamlined under his ‘One Guyana’ initiative with investment poured into various sectors, sports will play a critical role to play.
The Head-of-State reaffirmed to Guyana’s athletes’ that sports will not be left behind as he rolled out the One Guyana President’s Cup on Sunday evening at the National Track and Field Centre.
The inaugural tournament will feature 10 teams representing the Administrative Regions of Guyana and is the largest cash-incentive football competition ever played locally.
Apart from the $2M up for grabs for the winner, each player will pocket $80,000 as a one-off payment. Team captains will receive $100,000. The head coach of each team will collect $100,000, while members of his coaching staff are to receive $80,000.
Teams will be rewarded $200,000 for each Group Stage win, and winning semi-finalist will collect $400,000 each. The Second place team to get $1M.
“Football is a very energetic sport, and our country is on a very energetic pathway towards development, and sport is an important part of our agenda,” President Ali said.
While pleased with the investment in the tournament showcasing talents from the hinterland to the coastland, President Ali, speaking to reporters on Sunday, stated that, “This is just an initial step, not just in football, but improving and building the way we see sports and the importance of sports in transforming the society, in bringing people together.”
President Irfaan Ali being introduced to the stating XI of the Region 3 team by Captain Leo Lovell.
“But for us, this football tournament is geared towards a specific purpose, and that is to build our capacity, build experience, bring more players in and have a better look at players from across the country,” President Ali said.
The One Guyana President’s Cup, according to the Commander-in-Chief, will give football stakeholders, “The best possible chance at bringing the best pool of talent from across the country, so we can build a national formula, invest as much as we can in the vision of getting a Guyana team to the next world cup.”
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, will be hosted in the USA, Mexico and Canada. It will be an expanded version of football’s holy grail.
With FIFA moving from 32 teams in their current format to now 48 teams, President Ali is hoping that Guyana can be one of the six nations representing CONCACAF at the tournament first held in 1930, and he’s ready to invest heavily.
“We’re going to spare no effort in putting all our energy, all our time and as much resources as we can, from the Government and from Corporate Guyana to give you the best possible opportunity to get to the next World Cup,” President Ali told the players, as he was met with loud cheers.
“We want to support you; we want the players to have the best opportunity to get there (to the World Cup).”
Encouraging the players to remove any doubts about seeing Guyana following Trinidad and Tobago (2006), Jamaica (1998), Cuba (1938) and Haiti (1978) as the teams from the Caribbean to play at the World Cup, President Ali said: “With the continued partnership between the Government, Corporate Guyana and the Guyana Football Federation, football will be the grand winner; that is what we want.”
Facilities, President Ali said, are being developed all across Guyana, “So that footballers can have an even quality in terms of facilities you’ll have access to when you’re practising.”
President Ali was adamant that while the One Guyana President’s Cup will take centre stage, especially with its unique purpose, his Government is looking forward to working with all associations to help them achieve their goals.
In doing so, President Ali said the Government is on a massive drive to enhance existing facilities while establishing new facilities throughout Guyana, specifically aimed at increasing the player population and bringing quality sports amenities to each community.
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