Blue Water Shipping Girls U15 National Championship Returns for Third Year; Mahdia Among First-Time Participants

May 15, 2026 Sports

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Kaieteur Sports – The Guyana Football Federation (GFF), in collaboration with Blue Water Shipping, officially launched the third edition of the Blue Water Shipping Girls U15 National Championship on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, at the National Training Centre, Providence.

Now entering its third year, the championship continues to serve as a major platform for the development of girls’ football in Guyana, providing young student-athletes with opportunities to compete in a safe, inclusive, and structured environment.

Played in a 9v9 format, the tournament is designed to empower young girls through sport while promoting confidence, discipline, teamwork, mental well-being, and academic growth.

The 2026 edition is expected to feature more than 70 schools from Moruca, Essequibo, West Demerara, Georgetown, East Coast Demerara, East Bank Demerara, West Berbice, East Berbice, Bartica, Mahdia, Rupununi, and Linden, reflecting the federation’s continued commitment to nationwide grassroots football development.

In his feature address, GFF President Wayne Forde highlighted the championship’s growing impact on women’s football in Guyana.

“Our strategy is clear. The GFF continues to pursue partnerships and opportunities to organize and promote girls’ football within the school system, in close collaboration with the Ministries of Education and Culture, Youth and Sport,” Forde said.

“Our emphasis on school-based football is deliberate. Many clubs across the country still do not have adequate female-friendly facilities, and we want parents to have confidence in the environment, supervision, and structure in which their daughters are playing football.”

Forde also noted the tournament’s rapid growth since its launch.

“In 2024, the tournament featured 54 secondary schools. In 2025, participation increased to 68 schools. For 2026, we already have 70 confirmed schools, with an additional 10 expected to join. With each school allowed to register between 14 and 20 players, this initiative is already positively impacting more than 1,300 young women across Guyana,” he added.

Blue Water Shipping Manager Rowena Elliot reaffirmed the company’s commitment to supporting youth and girls’ football development in Guyana.

“For Blue Water Shipping, this partnership is about much more than football. It is about investing in girls, supporting discipline and teamwork, and helping to create pathways for young female talent to be seen, nurtured, and developed across Guyana,” Elliot stated.

“This tournament has already proven its value. The inaugural championship engaged more than 900 student-athletes from 60 schools across the country. That growth matters because it shows that when the right structures and opportunities are in place, girls will show up, not only to compete, but to build confidence, leadership, and belief in what is possible.”

Chairman of the Rights of the Child Commission (RCC), Aleema Nasir, underscored the importance of safeguarding children within sport.

“Our partnership with the GFF sends a strong message that the safety and rights of children in sport are non-negotiable,” Nasir said.

“Through this collaboration, we are championing the Children’s Bill of Rights in Sports, grounded in the UNCRC, which ensures every child has the right to participate in an environment free from abuse, exploitation, and discrimination.”

Assistant Director of Sport within the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports, Melissa Dow-Richardson, commended the tournament’s continued growth and inclusivity, while encouraging the students to embrace the life skills and learning opportunities football provides.

Meanwhile, Ministry of Education representative and Head of Allied Arts, Nicholas Fraser, praised the longstanding partnership between the ministry and the federation, noting that approximately 60% of secondary schools in Guyana are expected to participate.

Fraser added that the success of the championship is rivalled only by the National Schools Athletics Championship and highlighted the role football plays in developing discipline, teamwork, and other transferable life skills among students.

This year’s championship will also feature several first-time participating schools, including St. Nicholas Secondary (Region One), Friendship Secondary (Region Four), Katoka Secondary, Maruranau Secondary and Massara Secondary (Region Nine), Tuschen Secondary (Region Three), Mahdia Secondary (Region Eight), and Lower Corentyne Secondary and Central Corentyne Secondary (Region Six).

The championship is scheduled to run from May 16 to July 3, 2026. The first games will be played in Moruca Region One and will see Kamwatta Secondary vs Kwebanna Secondary at 10:00hrs and Santa Rosa Secondary vs St. Nicholas Secondary at 11:00hrs. Preliminary matches will be played across the participating regions, while the final eight matches will be hosted at the GFF National Training Centre, Providence.

The continued partnership between the GFF and Blue Water Shipping underscores a shared commitment to advancing girls’ football in Guyana and creating meaningful opportunities for young players both on and off the field.

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• Blue Water Shipping, Girls Football, Girls U15 National Championship, Guyana Football Federation

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