When did Futsal become our New Year’s staple?

 – Jemima Holmes asks

Today, January 1, would have been a glorious day for football in Guyana. Picture it now: two of the country’s best clubs or teams suiting up for battle tonight in hopes of clinching a sparkling trophy and mouthwatering grand prize that is surely set somewhere in the millions.
In addition, this grand culmination today would have come after weeks of enthralling football action, again featuring some of the country’s best teams and players.
What would have been more exciting for the sport would have been the droves of avid fans who would have left the comfort of their homes, whether in rain or shine, on a once-in-a-while holiday to take in a game of football.
That is usually our reality, but on January 1, 2025 it is not. Needless to say, the events of this 2024/2025 year-end season, which has been religiously reserved for football year after year for decades on end, is quite peculiar.
While the customary ‘big goal’ football has taken a back seat – no, correction; has been obsolete – Futsal has taken its place in centre stage. At this juncture, it is important to maintain that there is absolutely nothing wrong with Futsal. A shorter, faster, more energetic version of the beautiful game has its role in the developmental process; but its complete replacement of the beloved 90-minute version of the game, especially in Guyana at year-end, seems like a slap in the face and a spit on Guyanese football culture.

So, how did we end up here?
On November 6, the renowned Kashif and Shanghai Organisation summoned journalists and players alike to the Boardroom of the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport (MCYS) for the launch of the ‘One Guyana’ National Futsal Championship.
The tournament was initially earmarked to conclude today on the coveted January 1 spot, and immediately eyebrows were raised.
One journalist questioned Kashif Muhammad about their rationale behind opting for Futsal instead of field football, and was met with a well-thought-out response.
“As a matter of fact, when we were called, we were called and asked to do field football; but then, because of what field football is now in Guyana, it’s difficult for us now to come and do this, because our thing is not just a Georgetown thing alone, and we all know that no major football was played in Lethem, in East Bank, Berbice, Linden. Georgetown probably had like one tournament, West Demerara, East Coast. So, because of that kind of lack of a lot of football being played around, it’s difficult for us to just come and ask the country to come out and see something that is not of real quality,” Muhammad expressed.

Muhammad, in his musings, was right. Aside from the KFC Elite League, which ran from February to August 2024 and featured only 10 of the country’s best clubs, competitive field football was sparse. Several Regional Member Associations (RMAs) embarked on their annual regional leagues, and while some, like the Georgetown Football Association (GFA) and Bartica Football Association (BFA), were able to complete their Leagues, others did not. Some even cited controversy as a reason for their delayed conclusions. For instance, the Rupununi Football Association (RFA) did so.
Independently-sponsored-and -organised field football tournaments were non- existent, and while this writer cannot pronounce on what could have caused such a disinterest in providing platforms for the clubs outside of the Elite League some much-needed competition, it is, without doubt, a cause for concern.
Approximately one week after Muhammad disclosed why their organisation opted for Futsal, an announcement – or rather an admission – came from the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) regarding Men’s year-end football.
During the launch of the Maid Marian Women’s Wheat Up Cup, GFF President Wayne Forde, upon inquiry by this writer, revealed that plans were in the pipeline for a men’s year-end tournament to run alongside the women’s event.
“For the second time, our women will share the end-of-year platform traditionally dominated by men, with the opportunity to showcase their talent and passion for the game on an equal stage,” Forde had revealed in his initial speech.
When the follow-up question was posed, Forde further clarified, “Yes, and we actually communicated that formally to our members yesterday. Because, for one reason or the other, there were some questions, and those announcements will be made very soon as well.”
Still unclear on what may have hindered hosting of the men’s year-end competition, what this writer would say is that it should not be allowed to happen again.
Immediately I am drawn to year-end 2020, when the Coronavirus was running rampant around the world. Even under those dire circumstances, stakeholders were able to come together to host a truncated tournament.
Even without spectators, and with masks brandished on the sidelines, on January 1, 2021, there was a football final to take in.
The following year, The President’s Cup tournament was hosted during the year- end, alongside a Futsal tournament organised by the Kashif and Shanghai Organisation; but never in Football’s storied year-end history in Guyana was Futsal left to stand alone on this date.
Today in Linden, Milerock FC will come up against Botofago FC in the Upper Demerara Football Association’s (UDFA) Futsal tournament final. In Georgetown, Road Warriors will battle Bent Street ‘A’, while Sparta Boss takes on Back Circle ‘A’ in the semifinals of the ‘One Guyana’ National Futsal Championship. And in Berbice, a shadow of field football would take place when Police FC go head-to-head with Monedderlust FC while Cougars Seniors take on their U20 outfit in the semifinals of the Candy Boss 8-a-side Football Tournament.
Usually celebrated by droves of Guyanese from all walks of life, religions and races coming together for an hour and 30 minutes to celebrate, lament, and at times argue over their favourite sport, January 1 is Football’s Day in Guyana.
January 1, 2025 is, however, a sad day for the sport. Others looking in may find this a bit dramatic, but when one can understand how valuable New Year’s Day football is to the sport’s culture in Guyana, only then can the shock of its absence be comprehended.
The casual disregard for competitive field football by all its stakeholders, even the sponsors, is something that should never recur, that is, if we do not want to see our talents in the sport wilt away in the Land of Many Waters.