The Cayman Islands Football Association has received a donation from the Royal Belgian Football Association, the governing body for football in Belgium, marking the start of an expanding relationship between the two national governing bodies.
The donation, which included football kits, was delivered through diplomatic channels and is viewed as the initial step in a wider collaboration between the two associations.
Cayman Islands Football Association president Alfredo Whittaker and general secretary Marcos Tinoco expressed their appreciation for the donation, which was made possible by Belgian officials, including president Pascale Van Damme and the Belgian embassy in Jamaica.
“This is the start,” Whittaker said in the release. “We are very grateful because it’s not easy for a small association like the Cayman Islands to establish a relationship with bigger European associations.”
Talks with Belgian football officials began during the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and were finalised in Australia during the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
This budding partnership will look into opportunities beyond the donation, such as referee development, coaching education and national team exchanges, the associations noted.
“Belgium has established itself as one of the top football countries in Europe,” Tinoco said. “We look forward to working with them and learning ways to develop as players, coaches, referees and administrators.”
Cayman officials acknowledged the Royal Belgian Football Association and its leadership for taking an active interest in the Caribbean and for helping to create possibilities for future collaboration.
“This is a great relationship,” Whittaker said. “We thank president Pascale Van Damme for this gift and her interest in getting to know the Caribbean, particularly the Cayman Islands.”
