GFF Elite League could make a return in mid-May

The long-awaited restart of the Elite League is scheduled for May, according to the President of the Guyana Football Federation (GFF), Wayne Forde.

For varying reasons- lack of finances, unavailability of grounds and COVID-19 among them- the Elite League has not been played since May 2019.

The fourth season of the Elite League ended in May 2019 with city club Fruta Conquerors playing unbeaten in nine matches to lift the title and qualify for the Caribbean Club Shield Tournament.

News Room Sport was informed that ideally, the League should restart in mid-May, and a high volume of the matches could be held at the GFF’s National Training Facility, Providence, East Bank Demerara due to a partnership with FIFA+ to broadcast matches live to a global audience.

At a recent press engagement to announce the commencement of work to construct a Football Stadium in the city, Forde spoke on the League’s restart in May along with the other association-based football.

Though in May 2022, the GFF had a ‘Return to Play’ protocol for all nine Regional Member Associations, some were unable to finish their leagues to facilitate the playoffs to see which teams are promoted to the league.

Therefore, when the League resumes it will have the 10 teams of the fourth season, namely Fruta Conquerors, Western Tigers, Den Amstel, Guyana Defence Force, Buxton United, Santos FC, Guyana Police Force FC, Milerock, Victoria Kings and Ann’s Grove.

The latter two were facing relegation.

The expectation is that the League will offer a competitive pathway for locally based players to challenge for spots on the Golden Jaguars, the country’s flagship senior Men’s team.