by Roxanne Thompson

• 500 boots to benefit primary-school children across the tri-island state
• GFA reports 104 boys’ and girls’ teams in school football
• Girls’ talent development programme planned ahead of 2027 competition

Five hundred children in Grenada are expected to receive football boots through a FIFA initiative aimed at improving access to the sport, following an announcement by FIFA President Gianni Infantino during Friday’s launch of the country’s first FIFA Arena mini-pitch in Gouyave, St John.

Infantino announced the donation under FIFA’s Boots for All initiative, presenting a pair of the FIFA-branded boots symbolically to Grenada Football Association (GFA) President Marlon Glean. Glean said the shipment would be distributed to schools throughout Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique once it arrives in the country. The donation is intended to benefit 500 children participating in the association’s school football programme.

Glean said the GFA’s primary-school competition currently involves 54 boys’ teams and 50 girls’ teams, providing opportunities for children aged 11 and 12 to compete. He described the competition as an important part of the association’s grassroots development work, with promising players identified for further training through its talent development scheme. The GFA’s 2026 primary-school championship was launched in October in partnership with Beacon Insurance, with participation extending across Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique.

The GFA president also announced plans to introduce a dedicated talent development scheme for girls within the following weeks. He said the programme would help prepare young players for the FIFA Under-15 World Cup and Festival’s girls’ edition scheduled for 2027. FIFA has confirmed that the girls’ competition will follow the inaugural boys’ edition held in Azerbaijan in October 2026, with separate boys’ and girls’ competitions planned annually from 2028.

Infantino said FIFA’s support for Grenada extended beyond equipment and facilities to include technical assistance, experts, coaching, academies and talent development. The Boots for All initiative was launched in March 2026 with an initial global purchase of 20,000 pairs of football boots for distribution to children who might otherwise struggle to afford them. Grenada’s allocation of 500 pairs forms part of that wider effort to expand access to football.

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