The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) has confirmed the shift in the domestic football calendar, set to commence with the 2026/ 27 season; labelling the move as a ‘Strategic realignment’.
Announced on Monday, the 2026/27 season is now scheduled to commence in August 2026 and conclude in May 2027, as opposed to the March commencement and October conclusion of the year prior (2025).
According to the GFF, “This landmark reform represents a decisive step toward aligning Guyana’s domestic football ecosystem with the FIFA international calendar, strengthening competitiveness, improving operational efficiency, and supporting long-term sustainability.”
“The revised calendar synchronizes domestic competitions with FIFA international match windows, including the consolidation of the traditional September and October international breaks into a single 16-day window. This alignment improves access to professional players for national team duty, enhances preparation time for international competitions, and significantly reduces scheduling conflicts between club and country obligations.”
“Equally important, the fixed annual framework introduces predictability across the football ecosystem, enabling improved planning, budgeting, and resource allocation for clubs, Regional Associations, and national teams.”
Structured Competition framework under the updated domestic calendar
The GFF has advised that the updated domestic calendar establishes a clearly sequenced and purpose-driven competition structure, ensuring year-round football activity, appropriate recovery periods, and alignment across youth, regional, elite, Women’s, and national team football.
Senior Men’s Competitions:
Elite League Cup (Senior Men)
-February–March 2026: The Elite League Cup will be staged as a transitional competition to provide meaningful match activity for Elite League clubs during the interim period, supporting preparation for Elite League Season 8, which will commence in August 2026.
– From 2027 onwards: The Elite League Cup will transition to a post-season competition window, running from early May to mid-June, commencing after a two-week recovery period following the conclusion of the Elite League season.
Elite League – Season 8 and Beyond
-The Elite League will operate annually from August to April, beginning with Season 8 in August 2026.
-Matches will be hosted at multiple approved venues across Guyana, ensuring nationwide access to elite football while maximizing venue utilization.
-Elite League clubs will compete in a minimum of 25 and a maximum of 32 matches per season across all sanctioned competitions.
GFF Super 16 Cup
-The Super 16 Cup will be contested annually between November and January, positioning it as a marquee mid-season competition that sustains competitive intensity during the domestic season.
GFF Federation Cup
-The Federation Cup will be staged between April and June, bringing together Elite League and Regional Association clubs in a unified national knockout competition.
Regional Association Competitions
Regional Association Leagues
-Regional leagues will be fully aligned with the national calendar, with seasons running from September to April each year.
– The GFF is actively exploring mechanisms to support two complete rounds of league matches at the Regional Association level, aimed at increasing match exposure, competitiveness, and club development.
– Regional Association clubs are projected to play between 10 and 28 matches per season, inclusive of league and national competitions.
Elite League Promotional Playoffs
-The promotional playoffs will take place annually in May, immediately following the conclusion of the Regional Association season.
-This structure will take effect from May 2026 onwards, reinforcing a clear and merit-based pathway from Regional Association football to the Elite League.
Women’s Football Competitions
Women’s Division 1 League
-The 10-team Women’s Division 1 League will be contested annually from September to April, commencing in 2026 and continuing thereafter.
-This alignment ensures consistency with the national calendar while strengthening the competitive and developmental pathway for women’s football in Guyana.
Youth Development Competitions
Under-13 and Under-15 (Boys and Girls)
-Competitions will be played between July and August, maximizing school holiday periods and facilitating broad national participation.
Under-17 (Boys and Girls)
– Competitions will run from August to November.
– This window is deliberately structured to allow for player identification, selection, and preparation of the Under-17 male and female National Teams, which will participate in FIFA World Cup Qualifiers held annually in January and February.
GFF President Wayne Forde said about the development, “This calendar reform represents a major advancement for football in Guyana. It delivers tangible benefits to every stakeholder in the game. Clubs gain increased competitive opportunities and national exposure. Our national teams benefit from a predictable, internationally aligned schedule that enhances preparation and reduces conflicts in player selection. For our Regional Associations and women’s football programme, the fixed framework improves planning, budgeting, and long-term development. This is a critical step in building a modern, professional, and sustainable football structure for Guyana.”
The Federation further noted that the implementation of the 2026/27 domestic calendar underscores the GFF’s commitment to institutional strengthening, expanded participation, gender equity, and international competitiveness, positioning Guyana’s football system for long-term growth and stability.
Discover more from Guyana Times
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
