Football’s return to play in Guyana: GFF pledges to increase M-FAP funding for members

The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) has signalled its intention to increase funding for its Members Financial Assistance Programme (M-FAP), in light of the 25 percent increase to the FIFA Forward 3.0 funding mechanism announced at the 2022 FIFA Congress in March.

The two areas that will likely receive more funding through M-FAP are competitions and infrastructure, in particular the maintenance and upgrading of football grounds. The M-FAP increase will be factored into the GFF’s 2023 budget and presented at an Extraordinary Congress later this year, alongside the result of the recently announced revision to the GFF statutes, which is being conducted at the request and under the guidance of FIFA and Concacaf.
The GFF membership, meeting for its annual congress at the GFF National Training Centre in Providence last Saturday, also signed off on the GFF’s 2021 financial report, audited by Ram and McRae. The report will be shared with the Government of Guyana, and published on the GFF website.
“We are determined to increase the funding for our pioneering M-FAP programme,” said GFF President Wayne Forde. “This will mean more financial resources, as well as technical and logistical support, for our members across Guyana, so that they can accelerate their efforts to stage competitions and improve playing conditions for all.
“The GFF is committed to good governance, transparency and accountability,” Forde continued. “We see the auditing, member approval and publication of our financial report as a key pillar in strengthening the image of sports governance in Guyana, and delivering on our mandate.”
The new FIFA Forward 3.0 Programme would see an increase of 25 percent in funding, giving FIFA member associations – including the GFF – access to funding of around US$8 million over the four-year period from 2023, as long as specific criteria are met.
The GFF’s M-FAP system operates along similar lines, requiring strict criteria to be met for its members to receive full funding and support quotas. The increase in M-FAP funding would enable a stronger focus on the maintenance and upgrade of football facilities across Guyana, as well as the staging of more youth and senior competitions for male and female football.
“We understand that our members need support to deliver this quantity of football,” Forde said.
“Through M-FAP, we are able to ensure the football community has everything required to rapidly increase participation in the sport across all age groups for male and female players.”