Guyana Football Federation (GFF) President Wayne Forde declared that the Golden Jaguars appearance in the inaugural FIFA Series in Saudi Arabia should be regarded as a moment of national pride. This was disclosed in a press release from the federation. According to Forde, “This has truly been a moment of national pride for our country, and news of our selection to participate in the inaugural FIFA series was received with great excitement. The Golden Jaguars are loved and admired by the entire Guyanese society, and our fans have been attentive to every aspect of this historic experience. The players have been exemplary ambassadors while, at the same time, inspiring the younger generation of footballers here in Guyana to aim higher. I wish to commend President Infantino and the FIFA Council for introducing this remarkable initiative.”
Guyana competed in the FIFA Series: Saudi Arabia ‘A’ in Jeddah, which comprised the groups of Cambodia, Cape Verde, and Equatorial Guinea. The Guyanese lost to Cape Verde 0-1 in their opening match before defeating Cambodia 4-1 in their final fixture.
He further stated, “We wish to thank SAFF for stepping forward and being a generous host to our beloved Golden Jaguars. Our experience in the Kingdom has allowed our players, staff, and everyone at GFF to discover an entirely new football culture and, in particular, the warmth of the Saudi people. They have been an exceptional host, and I do look forward to hosting one of their teams in Guyana in the very near future.”
Forde disclosed that Guyana’s participation in the event could serve as a catalyst for collaboration between the two federations, noting, “President Al Misehal and I have already exchanged correspondence, and I am confident that beyond football, there is a huge opportunity for us to learn more about our cultures. I am therefore confident that through our ongoing discussions, GFF and SAFF will discover many areas of mutual interest on which we can build a sturdy partnership for football development.”
“We most definitely hope to participate in future editions of the FIFA Series. We have generations of young footballers who I am sure are inspired by this opportunity, and it is therefore my hope that they commit to working hard towards preparing themselves for similar opportunities in the future. At the same time, we are working to create strong bilateral relationships with SAFF and other nations with the aim of playing more friendlies across women’s football and youth levels while exploring other opportunities for collaboration”, he further added.
The novel initiative, which was approved by the FIFA Council in 2023, will witness matches being staged within the six confederations during each even-numbered year. The objective of the programme is to afford more international matches and interactions between confederations, which will aid in the overall development of the sport.
The pilot edition of the programme featured 20 member associations playing in five locations across three continents. The other hosts were Algeria, Azerbaijan, Egypt, and Sri Lanka.
