Following a four-year absence since its prior iteration in 2019, the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) officially launched the Elite League 5th season yesterday during a simple ceremony at the entity’s Section K Campbellville Secretariat.
The event, which is billed to commence on May 14th, will feature 10 teams competing in a one round format.
The teams are: Fruta Conquerors, Guyana Defence Force, Guyana Police Force, Western Tigers, Santos, Milerock, Ann’s Grove, Buxton United, Victoria Kings and Den Amstel.
The sum of $2,000,000 will be awarded to the eventual winner of the tournament whilst the second, third, and fourth-place finishers will receive $1,200,000, $800,000, and $500,000 respectively.
Prior to the start of the event, the teams will receive $500,000 apiece as part of the competition’s participation grant. The players will not receive match-day stipends as was customary in previous seasons.
The venues that are proposed for the tournament which will be staged on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, are the Eve Leary ground, the Camp Ayanganna ground, the National Track and Field Centre, Leonora, and the National Training Centre, Providence. Absent at the launch was GFF President Wayne Forde.
General Secretary Ian Alves disclosed that the tournament budget hovers in the region of $20-$25 million, noting that the federation has partnered with the FIFA+ streaming service which will broadcast several games online. However, Alves conceded that the partnership does not attract an immediate financial incentive for the federation, and that the entity will aim to utilize the service for possible marketing opportunities to generate finance. Meanwhile, Bryan Joseph, Technical Director of the GFF stated that the shortened version of the tournament is being utilized to realign the football calendar which traditionally starts in September, noting that the event will feature a component of relegation and promotion.
