With football enthusiasts eager to witness the campaigns of newly-promoted clubs Monedderlust and Slingerz FC, Guyana Football Federation (GFF) President Wayne Forde has confirmed that the Elite League Season Six will kick off on Sunday, February 25 at the National Training Centre in Providence, East Bank Demerara.
Gearing up for an action-packed Season Six, the GFF has held comprehensive discussions with representatives from all 10 men’s Elite Clubs on proposed fixtures and potential amendments to the rules governing Season Six.
President Forde noted that “as anticipation mounts for the upcoming season, the collaborative efforts between the GFF and these prominent clubs underscore our commitment to ensuring all participating clubs are knowledgeable of the rules and regulations and contribute to the execution of the tournament by sharing their concerns and ideas.”
Season Six will feature defending champions Guyana Defence Force, Western Tigers, Guyana Police Force, Fruta Conquerors, Den Amstel, Buxton United, Ann’s Grove United, Santos, Monedderlust and Slingerz.
The last pair of clubs earned their promotion earlier this month through the GFF Elite League Promotion Playoff.
Similar to Season Five, the champions of the upcoming season will be awarded a prize of G$2,000,000, while second, third, and fourth-place finishers will also receive respective prizes of G$1,200,000, G$800,000, and G$500,000.
In preparation for the tournament, each participating team will receive a participation grant of G$500,000 prior to the tournament’s commencement.
GFF Technical Director Bryan Joseph further shared that Club administrators will participate in several workshop focused on the Club Licensing requirements for participation in the league, media management and interaction, match day management, Laws of the game and technical related matters.
This initiative is designed to guarantee the seamless execution of matches during the upcoming season.
“We have built up our capacity over the past months and are prepared to implement measures to enhance the operations of the League. The series of workshops are designed to bring alignment to best practices in the region including the automation of the competition management systems and match-day structures. This is another step towards the professionalising of the League and its operations. Season six is going to be massive. The partnership with FIFA+ and the availability of a quality surface at the National Training Centre complete with international standard lighting will surely enhance the quality of the experience for our top competition. I am super excited to experience the product and its potential.”
Season Six will span six months and 90 games at venues across the coastland. Match days, predominantly featuring double-headers, will be on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
Clubs will engage in a two-round format with the club accumulating the most points crowned as the champions, securing an automatic qualifying spot at the CONCACAF/Caribbean Shield Championships.
Under Forde’s leadership, there has been substantial investments in the advancement of club football throughout Guyana.
The GFF Elite League, recognised as the apex of senior men’s competition in the nation, not only represents a prestigious stage for athletes but also serves as a critical pathway for talent scouting by the national team, as well as by regional and international clubs. (GFF)
