Antigua and Barbuda Prime Minister Gaston Browne has announced plans to meet with FIFA President Gianni Infantino to lobby for critical international support for a new national football stadium, upgraded sports infrastructure, and targeted youth football development programs in the Caribbean nation.
Browne made the announcement during a live appearance Saturday on the *Browne and Browne Show*, carried by local radio outlet Pointe FM. He confirmed that senior leadership from the Antigua and Barbuda Football Association, including the association’s president and general secretary, will accompany him to the high-stakes discussions.
According to Browne, both the national government and the local football governing body have been engaged in ongoing lobbying efforts with FIFA to secure backing for the stadium and additional development assistance. Beyond the construction of a new venue, the prime minister outlined two core priorities for the partnership: expanding and modernizing the country’s overall football infrastructure, and elevating the technical and competitive skills of emerging young players across Antigua and Barbuda.
“Our long-term vision is to position sports as a key export product for Antigua and Barbuda,” Browne explained during the interview. “A deepened partnership with FIFA would not only deliver first-class facilities for our young people to train and compete, it would also unlock the full potential of our nation in global football.”
At the time of the announcement, details of the project remain undisclosed. Browne declined to share information on the proposed location of the stadium, projected construction costs, the specific level of financial assistance being requested from FIFA, or a timeline for breaking ground. The meeting with Infantino had not yet been held when Browne spoke to reporters, and no formal commitment of support from the FIFA president has been secured.
The stadium announcement was one of two major sports updates Browne shared during his Saturday radio appearance. Shortly after congratulating the Antigua and Barbuda Falcons on their recent Caribbean Premier League (CPL) cricket championship, the prime minister confirmed that Antigua and Barbuda has submitted an official bid to host the 2025 CPL final. No additional details about the bid process were shared, and the football stadium initiative and cricket hosting bid remain separate, unrelated projects.
Browne left the radio broadcast early to attend the scheduled meeting with Infantino.