The 19th annual Barbados International Masters Football Festival promises to be an exciting affair with lots of festivities.
One of the organizers Paul Wright said 32 teams would be involved this year and about 650 players were scheduled to participate and that number alone would make it one of the largest international tournaments in the world. The tournament is scheduled for May 22 to 25 with three grounds being utilized over the four days, inclusive of Carlton, Wanderers and Dover.
Sixteen of those 32 teams are from overseas, including Canada, United States, United Kingdom, Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada, St Vincent and the Grenadines and St Lucia, who have come on board for the first time.
Barbados Football Association president, Randy Harris.
President of the Barbados Football Association, Randy Harris, suggested to the organizers of the tournament that when the BFA’s headquarters at the Wildey, St Michael Astro Turf was completed, they would be willing to host the semi-finals and finals of the tournament next year.
Harris also said: “The BFA would be willing and glad to use our contacts to help you to get some more teams from other countries visit Barbados and participate and I think it would not only be better for just football in Barbados, but the country on a whole. Over the past three years or so we have made quite a bit of friends in Central America, Europe and I would like you to consider working with the BFA in that aspect of the football at no cost to you.”
Matches are scheduled to start from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily while the grand final will be on Monday at Wanderers starting at 4 p.m.