FIFA President Gianni Infantino met CFU Member Associations in the Dominican Republic, staged around the FIFA Forward-supported CFU U-14 Challenge Series
The FIFA President reiterates FIFA’s goal to grow football worldwide and to support every FIFA Member Association in the world by providing them with the opportunity and the resources they deserve
Mr Infantino described FIFA Forward investment in regional bodies such as the CFU as “one of the best investments that we have been doing in FIFA”
FIFA President Gianni Infantino met FIFA Member Associations (MAs) from the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) in the Dominican Republic, on the sidelines of a FIFA Forward-supported CFU U-14 Challenge Series – an event which he said showed the benefits of investing in the game globally.
“I received a very, very warm welcome here in the Dominican Republic – (a) beautiful, beautiful country…on the occasion of a meeting of the Caribbean Football Union, to discuss projects, ideas,” said the FIFA President following a constructive meeting with CFU representatives, which was chaired by CFU President Lyndon Cooper, hosted by Dominican Republic Football Association (FEDOFUTBOL) President José Deschamps and including FIFA Vice-President and Concacaf President Victor Montagliani, amongst others.
“This meeting of the Presidents of CFU takes place in the environment of (a) U-14 youth tournament in the region, which actually is one of those tournaments that can take place thanks [to] the FIFA Forward programme. So, even more so, a reason to be proud to be here. And happy, as well, because it’s important to engage, to have a dialogue, to express views and opinions – a lot (has) been happening in the last few weeks and it’s important that you hear, you listen and you’re able to, also, express what your feelings are. So, I think overall, a positive, very, very happy with all the support I get here.”
As well as meeting with CFU leaders and MA Presidents, the FIFA President met with Dominican Republic Minister of Sports and Recreation Kelvin Cruz, FEDOFUTBOL President José Deschamps, National Commissioner of Football Benny Metz, Olympic Committee President Garibaldy Bautista Lorenzo and Centro Caribe Sports President Luis Mejía, among others, on his two-day visit.
Founded in 1978, the CFU comprises 31 members – 25 of them FIFA MAs. Under the FIFA Forward 3.0 cycle (2023-2026), FIFA provides up to USD 5 million to each regional body, funding CFU initiatives including the annual CFU U-14 Challenge Series.
Asked what he had heard from MAs, Mr Infantino pointed to a decade of positive change and the need to focus on continued growth, especially to reduce gaps across the world.
“I think that, whether it’s in Africa or in Asia or the Caribbean, everyone acknowledges and accepts and respects the transformative work that we have been doing all together in the last ten years,” the FIFA President said. “We have transformed FIFA, made it to what it is…and I stress again today to the CFU members, we are here with one job. To grow football in every corner of the world.
“This is our task – this is our job,” he continued. “We want to grow football in every one of our 211 countries in the world…we need to narrow this gap between the big, big countries and all the others…we need to give a chance to all the others.”
Mr Infantino also acknowledged there was clear value in FIFA’s investment in regional bodies, such as the CFU.
“It is definitely a good investment. It is one of the best investments that we have been doing in FIFA,” he said, recalling that many regional associations from various continents once lacked the resources to organise football activity at all.
“We had to find resources, and we had to find more and more resources because what they do in organising these events for the children – this year is the U-14 here in the CFU, in the Caribbean – U-14 boys; next year, U-14 girls. Why shouldn’t we do, every year, boys and girls, for example? Well, that costs money, of course. Our job (is) to help to find that money so that more girls and more boys can enjoy football.”
Looking ahead, the FIFA President said he was looking forward to a new youth competition open to the entire FIFA membership.
“We will organise now this year for the first time in FIFA a U-15 World Cup where all 211 countries of FIFA are invited. A festival of youth, more than 4,000 children playing football together…That’s why we need these resources, sponsors, broadcasters…to reinvest 100% of what we generate back into the game, because we want to make football truly global in every corner of the world.”