The Guyana Football Federation (GFF) and Racing Club de Madrid (RMFC) of Spain inked a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on Wednesday at the latter’s Georgetown headquarters, which will formalize a partnership to elevate youth football locally.
This was disclosed in an official release from the federation. According to the correspondence, the partnership was inked between GFF President Wayne Forde and RMFC co-owner and President Steve Nijjar and creates a framework that focuses on youth, grassroots, and elite player development, as well as coaching education and women’s football.
Originally named Racing de Madrid, the club, which was formed in 1914 following a merger between two Madrid-based entities, Instituto Cardenal Cisneros and Region FC, has been defunct since 1932. Its successor, AR Chamberi, which played one season in Spain’s third division, also folded in 1977.
The club was eventually renamed from SAD Cenafe to its current name after being taken over by a group of investors in 2022 led by the current president. As of August, the team was playing in the sixth tier of the Spanish football pyramid.
President Forde said, “This is the GFF’s first partnership with a professional European football club, and we are all very excited about the many possibilities our collaboration with Racing Madrid will create. Together, we will embark on a wide range of capacity-building initiatives, with special emphasis on the development, mentorship, and international exposure of youth coaches.”
He further said, “Racing Madrid has a long history of excellence that is supported by a global network of professional football relationships. They have enormous experience in youth academy programs, which the GFF intends to benefit from in the coming years. I would like to express a warm thank you to President Steve Nijjar for working closely with me over the past few months in constructing this historic partnership.”
“The partnership will also create opportunities for talented young male and female players in Guyana to gain exposure and secure placements in prestigious European clubs and academies. Both the GFF and RMFC are committed to working closely together to implement impactful initiatives that will shape the future of youth football in Guyana,” the release stated.
Meanwhile, RMFC President Nijjar stated that they are “absolutely delighted to have this partnership with the Guyana Football Federation, and we are looking forward to helping all the players and coaches in Guyana get to the next step and improve the game.”
“Our goal is to help the country of Guyana get into the next World Cup, whether it be the Youth World Cup or the Senior Men’s World Cup, and that is what we are going to work hard for through Racing Madrid and Geneva Football School,” he further added.
Also, RMFC co-owner Morris Pagniello noted that he is “very happy to start this ambitious project with this ambitious federation, giving youth players in Guyana a real pathway to professional football.”
