In a transformative year for Caribbean football, Trinidad and Tobago Football Association (TTFA) President Kieron Edwards has revealed how stringent financial reforms became the cornerstone of the organization’s dramatic resurgence in 2025. Through implementing rigorous transparency measures and strategic governance changes, the association successfully restored both corporate and governmental confidence in its operations.
Edwards, speaking in a year-end interview with TTFA media on December 28, emphasized that his administration deliberately structured the executive board with financial expertise at its core. The strategic inclusion of multiple chartered accountants signaled the association’s commitment to fiscal responsibility from the highest levels of leadership.
A pivotal development involved partnering with FIFA to install a dedicated financial consultant within the organization. This collaboration established a comprehensive audit system that ensures absolute accountability for all incoming funds. Corporate sponsors now receive detailed pre-investment expenditure plans and post-utilization reports, creating unprecedented transparency in how football funding is managed.
The financial overhaul produced tangible results, with the TTFA securing major sponsorship agreements from prominent national companies including National Gas Company, bmobile, KFC, Stag, and Sunshine Snacks for the 2025-2026 period.
Concurrently, the association fostered strengthened government relations, engaging promptly with newly appointed Minister of Sport and Youth Affairs Phillip Watts following the April 28 government transition. This proactive approach yielded significant policy achievements, most notably the rapid passage of the ‘grandparent law’ that expands national team eligibility criteria.
Infrastructure improvements complemented these administrative advances, with the Hasely Crawford Stadium’s home dressing room undergoing complete refurbishment. Edwards characterized these collective developments as ushering in ‘a new era of professionalism’ that positions Trinidad and Tobago football for sustained success in the modern sporting landscape.