TTFA president Kieron Edwards calls 2024 'transformative', 'progressive'

TRINIDAD and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) president Kieron Edwards has described the past year as “transformative” and “progressive” as he looks forward to a year filled with “critical opportunities and challenges.”

In his end-of-year remarks, Edwards, who was appointed TTFA president in April —the first since FIFA’s appointment of a normalisation committee in March 2020 — outlined the TTFA’s many strides in early 2024, and those achieved under his watch for the past eight months.

Edwards cited the association’s strengthening of its governance structures, reviving domestic football, international collaborations, youth development, technical and refereeing progress and the senior team’s achievements as some of their highlights over the past year.

Notwithstanding the appointment of TT’s 2006 FIFA World Cup captain Dwight Yorke as head coach, charged with steering this nation’s journey to the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

Edwards said his executive has built momentum in several key areas.

“One of our primary focuses this year was reinforcing governance and operational efficiency within the TTFA. We successfully established several standing committees, including the technical, competitions, referees, finance and remuneration, player status, and women’s football committees, which now play pivotal roles in driving professionalism and accountability within our organisation,” he said.

Edwards added that they also made “significant progress” in club licensing, aligning with FIFA standards to ensure clubs operate sustainably and meet international benchmarks.

The FA also hosted the Concacaf executive mentorship programme workshop in August. This introduced the new executive to share best practices in governance and leadership.

Additionally, the TT Women’s League Football (TTWoLF) became compliant with Concacaf standards.

“This expansion of compliance opens doors for our women to participate in Concacaf women’s tournaments, a critical step in molding better and more competitive female footballers,” Edwards said.

He confirmed partnerships with the Ministry of Sport, Sportt Company, Arima Discount Mart, Reboot, Hearty Foods, Khan’s Poultry, Angostura, National Flour Mills and Blue Waters, secured support to elevate the TT Premier Football League’s profile and improve opportunities for players and clubs, which by extension, is “only the beginning of our commitment to making the TT Premier Football League a competitive and financially viable league in the region.”

Edwards said TT expanded its global footprint by signing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Saudi Arabia, focusing on development initiatives. This partnership paved the way for the TT men’s team to play their first game in Saudi Arabia, on December 17, since 2013.

TT youth programmes “continue to thrive, with significant preparation efforts for the U17 men’s and U20 teams, setting them up for strong performances in upcoming campaigns.”

The recent staging of the Jewels of the Caribbean tournament for U20 women provided invaluable preparation and exposure, Edwards said.

TT’s hosting of the Concacaf Girls U15 Championship and the Caribbean Football Union’s boys U14 tournament, including grassroots programmes, were also deemed a success.

The referees department, he said, saw “remarkable advancements” this year “with increased opportunities for training and development.”

Similarly, the TTFA’s coach education programmes department also made strides by offering programmes that align with international standards and those which help prepare coaches to meet the demands of modern football.

Regarding the senior team’s achievements, Edwards believes the Soca Warriors have made “encouraging progress in the Concacaf Nations League” which has built a good foundation for the coming year.

Yorke’s official unveiling as senior team coach in November was a welcomed one, he said, and brings “fresh leadership and ambition to our World Cup and Gold Cup qualification campaigns.”

TT are currently unbeaten in World Cup qualifying and ended the Nations League group stage positively.

Looking ahead to 2025, Edwards described the nation’s FIFA World Cup and Gold Cup qualifiers as “defining moments” for the senior team.

He said youth teams will embark on crucial campaigns, aiming to continue their upward trajectory, and the association will continue its partnership with Republic Bank to host the National Youth League.

For 2025, the league will span a little over six months, offering an expanded schedule that significantly increases the number of matches, aimed at enhancing player and coach development and providing greater opportunities for growth.

TTFA wants to host more beach soccer festivals throughout the year and begin renovations to the Beach Soccer Facility in Tobago.

Plans are underway to collaborate with the Futsal Association to launch the first-ever Futsal League.

Edwards said the the continued expansion of the TTPFL and aspirations in the Concacaf Caribbean Cup will further elevate the competitive landscape for TT’s players and clubs.

“As we step into 2025, let us continue to work together to elevate TT football to new heights. The future is bright, and with your support, we will achieve even greater things in the years to come.”