Fresh off the conclusion of the 2024 edition of the Barbados Invitational Masters Football Classic (BIMFC) — the largest over-age football festival in the Caribbean — the event’s organizing committee vice-chairman Trevor Thorne is renewing his call for increased public and private financial backing, warning that a lack of investment could see the popular tournament poached by neighboring islands with far stronger government support.
In an exclusive interview with local outlet Barbados TODAY, Thorne explained that the BIMFC, which pioneered the regional masters football movement, now faces growing competitive pressure from copycat events launching across Caribbean islands. Many of these rival tournaments benefit from substantial state funding that the BIMFC has yet to secure, putting the long-standing Barbadian event at a critical disadvantage.
“If we continue to lag behind in securing this kind of support, there is a real risk that the BIMFC concept could be exported elsewhere, where it will grow into an even stronger event with the resources available to it,” Thorne warned. He added that losing the tournament would deal a significant blow to Barbados’ already tourism-dependent national economy, noting that the BIMFC generates consistent off-season economic activity by drawing hundreds of visiting players and their accompanying travel parties every year.
Thorne pointed to the UK-based Cockney Rebels, one of the event’s most loyal participating teams, as a clear example of the tournament’s economic ripple effect. This year alone, the club expanded its presence from one 30-player squad to two squads totaling almost 70 athletes. During their stay in Barbados, visiting players rent vehicles, book accommodation at local hotels and guesthouses, pay for inter-match transportation, dine at local restaurants, purchase groceries, and spend money on locally made souvenirs — all revenue that stays in the Barbadian community.
“As organizers, we have long punched above our weight to keep this event running and growing, but more support would translate directly to greater benefits for Barbados’ tourism, our local masters football community, and the national economy as a whole,” Thorne said.
Beyond funding, Thorne also revealed that organizers are actively exploring venue changes for the 2025 tournament to address player feedback around playing surface quality. This year, unseasonable drought left several natural grass fields in poor condition, forcing organizers to shift some matches to alternate surfaces. Thorne noted that trial matches held at the Usain Bolt Complex were well received, and organizers are even considering a bold proposal to host matches at Kensington Oval, widely considered the mecca of Barbadian sport.
“Interest for next year’s tournament is already building, with many players saying they are eager to return, but they have asked for improved playing surfaces as a reasonable condition,” Thorne explained. “We’ve already identified a shortlist of potential new venues, and if we can work out a proposal to bring matches to Kensington Oval, I have no doubt players would be absolutely delighted.”
This year’s tournament featured newly added age divisions, including a 60-and-Over category, where The Old Boys’ Club claimed the inaugural title, finishing ahead of runners-up Black Rock Masters, third-place Cockney Rebels, and fourth-place Blue Cloud. In the other new division, 55-and-Over, Adrian “AD” Best led Paradise to a dominant 3-0 victory over Zepherins Pinelands to take the gold.
In the tournament’s most coveted division, the Over-50s category, UK-based Cockney Rebels secured the title after a tense final against Royalty Ballers, with Rob Margrave scoring the match-winning penalty to clinch the win. The final match of the tournament saw goalkeeper Dwayne Webb deliver a Man-of-the-Match performance, stopping two crucial shots to lead Carib Wildey Masters to victory over second-place Empire Club.
Organizers also used the post-tournament press briefing to offer their sincere condolences following the unexpected passing of 59-year-old Audley Taffe, a visiting player from Canada’s Global Masters Football team, who collapsed suddenly at the Kickstart Playing Field in Wildey on the tournament’s second Saturday.