The Grenada Football Association (GFA) and title sponsor Beacon Insurance have officially launched the GFA–Beacon Insurance Primary Schools Football Championships 2026, setting the stage for approximately 2 months of organised competition involving more than 50 primary schools across Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique.
The championships will feature 54 schools in the Boys’ Competition and 51 schools in the Girls’ Competition, with many participating schools fielding teams in both categories. Competition officially begins on October 14, creating a national platform for young players to represent their schools, develop their football abilities and become more deeply connected to the sport.
The championships were formally launched on Wednesday, 7 October at the GFA Conference Room, bringing together representatives of the GFA, Beacon Insurance, the Ministry of Education, the Grenada Union of Teachers, students and teachers from participating schools, members of the media and other invited stakeholders. The programme featured remarks from education, sport, football and sponsor representatives, followed by an overview of the competition, the formal declaration of the championships, Players’ and Coaches’ Oaths and a media question-and-answer session.
For the GFA, the championships represent an important entry point into the wider football-development pathway. Primary school competition gives children an early structured environment in which to play, learn and compete while providing coaches and technical personnel with opportunities to observe emerging talent across communities.
Promising players can subsequently progress through grassroots and club football and, where identified, into the GFA’s Talent Development Scheme (TDS). The TDS provides structured training at least three times per week for selected players at U13, U14, U15 and U16 levels, helping to bridge the gap between early participation and higher levels of youth development, including future national-team opportunities.
GFA President Marlon Glean, who delivered remarks at the launch, has consistently placed grassroots participation and structured player development among the Association’s priorities. “Primary school football is where many young players first begin to understand what it means to train, compete, represent a team and enjoy the game in a structured environment. Through this championship, we are reaching communities across Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique and creating opportunities for both boys and girls to become part of the football pathway. We are grateful to Beacon Insurance, the Ministry of Education, the Grenada Union of Teachers and all of the schools, teachers and coaches whose support makes a programme of this scale possible.”
Beacon Insurance’s involvement as Title Sponsor places the company at the centre of a programme connecting football with children, schools, families and communities throughout the country.
Jenny Bertin, Senior Manager, Client Services & Agencies–Regional, Beacon Insurance, delivered the title sponsor’s remarks during the launch programme. “Beacon Insurance is proud to support an initiative that reaches young people and communities throughout Grenada, Carriacou and Petite Martinique. Sport has the ability to build confidence, discipline, teamwork and healthy habits, and we are pleased to partner with the GFA in creating opportunities for children to experience those values through football.”
Education stakeholders also played a central role in the launch, reflecting the importance of collaboration between the football and school systems. Remarks were delivered by Dr.Dianne Abel Jeffery, Chief Education Officer; Ernest Richardson, Second Vice President of the Grenada Union of Teachers; and Dimeon Castle, Assistant Coordinator of Sports. Their inclusion underscored the role played by principals, teachers, coaches and school administrators in facilitating football participation and helping students balance sporting involvement with their wider educational development.
The scale of participation in the Girls’ Competition is particularly significant, with 51 schools registered to compete. The strong representation of girls alongside the 54 schools entered in the boys’ category supports the GFA’s objective of creating meaningful playing opportunities for both genders from the earliest stages of the football pathway.
George Phillip, Primary School Football Coordinator, presented the competition overview during the launch, before the championships were formally declared open. The programme also incorporated Players’ and Coaches’ Oaths, placing emphasis on sportsmanship, responsibility and the values expected throughout the competition.
With the launch now complete, attention shifts to 14 October, when schools across the country begin competition. Over the ensuing two months, the GFA will use the championships not only to provide competitive football for primary school students, but also to strengthen engagement with schools and communities, broaden participation among boys and girls and connect promising young players with the association’s wider development structures.
The GFA–Beacon Insurance Primary Schools Football Championships therefore represent more than a school tournament. They form part of an increasingly structured pathway designed to give young Grenadian players more opportunities to begin, develop and progress in the game.
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