DELEGATES for the 2019 FIFA FIFA Conference on Development will begin arriving today for the two-day event (May 14 – 15) at the Marriott Hotel.

The Government of Guyana, through the Department of Tourism and the Tourism Hospitality Association of Guyana (THAG) will partner with the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) to host the conference which president Wayne Forde said will have the participation of every affiliated member of the Caribbean Football Union.

Forde, in explaining the importance of the conference, said the full body of the FIFA Development Committee will be in Guyana, where one of the key areas of focus will be the implementation of a comprehensive regional schools football programme.

The GFF president noted that during the visit of FIFA president Gianni Infantino to Guyana in 2017, there was an extensive discussion on a Regional Schools football programme with CARICOM Secretary-General, Irwin LaRocque, and the extent it could contribute on the overall development on the game in the Caribbean.

The Development Committee, according to FIFA, shall deal with the Federation’s development programmes and shall devise and propose appropriate strategies, check these strategies periodically and analyse the support provided to member associations, confederations and zonal/regional associations in this regard.

The FIFA Forward Development Programme was first adopted by the FIFA Congress on May 9, 2016 and it was to become not only a “step change” for global football development and the way we share the success of the FIFA World Cup with our member associations, but also one of the most prominent sports’ development programmes.

FIFA Forward is built to provide 360-degree, tailor-made support for football development in each of our member associations and the six confederations and is based on three principles – more investment, more impact, and more oversight.