Officials with the U.S. Virgin Islands Soccer Federation didn’t treat their weekend in Thailand for the 74th FIFA Congress as a vacation.
No, the USVISF’s three-person delegation were all business during FIFA’s annual meetings, held May 15-18 in Bangkok, signing what officials called a “landmark memorandum of understanding” with two other national soccer federations.
The USVISF’s delegation — president Yohannes Worede, St. Croix vice president Izler Browne and secretary general Firas Idheileh — announced agreements with the Saudi Arabian Football Federation on Thursday and the Guam Football Association on Monday.
“The 74th FIFA Congress was an invaluable opportunity for us to connect with our international counterparts,” Worede said in a prepared release. “We are excited about the future prospects these relationships will bring, and we are committed to leveraging these connections to elevate the game of soccer in the U.S. Virgin Islands.”
Both the Saudi Arabia and Guam (like the USVI, a United States territory) soccer governing bodies are members of the Asian Football Confederation, which stretches from the Middle East to the Asian-Pacific region and encompasses 47 countries and territories.
The Saudi Arabian Football Federation — which will likely play host to the 3034 FIFA World Cup — was founded in 1956, becoming a FIFA member that same year, and joined the Asian Football Confederation in 1972.
The SAFF is one of the largest associations in the AFC, overseeing five levels of pro and semi-pro club leagues — headlined by its own Saudi Pro League — and two women’s pro leagues, as well as youth divisions.
Once considered a lower-level club league, the Saudi Pro League grew in status last year with the signing of a number of high-level players by its teams, including five-time Ballon d’Or winner Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Karim Benzema.
“This agreement is a testament to the power of collaboration in sports,” SAFF president Yasser Al Misenhal said in a prepared release. “We look forward to working closely with the U.S. Virgin Islands Soccer Federation to achieve our shared goals.”
According to a release issued by the USVISF, the memorandum of understanding between it and the SAFF “will focus on sharing best practices, technical expertise, and promoting mutual growth within the sport.”
“We are excited about this partnership with the Saudi Arabian Football Federation,” the USVISF’s release said, attributing the quote to an unnamed spokesperson. “This MOU will not only enhance our soccer programs but pave the way for greater cultural and professional exchanges between our federations.”
Meanwhile, the Guam Football Association — like the USVISF — is one of FIFA’s smallest member associations. Founded in 1975, it was an associate member of the AFC before attaining full membership in 1996 (the same year the association became a FIFA member).
Like the USVISF, the Guam Football Association oversees both a men’s and women’s club league (the Budweiser G-League and Bud Light G-League), as well as youth programs.
“This agreement with the Guam Football Association is a monumental step for soccer in the U.S. Virgin Islands,” Idheileh said in a prepared release. “Our commitment to this partnership will help us enhance our programs and create new opportunities for our players and coaches. We are deeply grateful to [GFA president] Valentino San Gill for his outstanding support and leadership in making this collaboration possible.”
The Saudi Arabian Football Federation and Guam Football Association also have a cooperative program in place, and could be a mirror of what is planned for the USVISF’s program with the SAFF.
Just last month, the GAF’s under-17 women’s national team held a training camp in Saudi Arabia, and played two international friendlies against the SAFF’s U-17 women’s national team.
“Building strong relationships with other federations is crucial to our growth,” Idheileh said. “We look forward to continued collaboration and support from our international partners.”
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