Organizers of Barbados’ Prime Minister’s Cup have announced an extension to the registration deadline for the tournament’s brand-new women’s division, as they work to reach their goal of fielding 12 competitive teams for the historic first edition of the competition. Omari Eastmond, chair of the Prime Minister’s Cup Organising Committee, confirmed the new cutoff for registration is August 9, giving interested teams and athletes additional time to sign up for the groundbreaking event.
The introduction of a women’s division marks a major milestone for the Prime Minister’s Cup, which has run for three years without an official women’s bracket. A core part of the initiative’s mission is advancing gender equity in sports, starting with equal prize purses for male and female competitors: the women’s champions will take home the same $100,000 top prize that has long been awarded to the men’s winning team. This equal pay commitment came directly from Barbadian Prime Minister Mia Mottley, who rejected the original proposal of a reduced $50,000 purse for women when the new division was first announced last month.
“When they came to me and said that the Prime Minister’s Cup for men would get $100 000 and the women would receive $50 000 because they are less teams, I told them this Prime Minister will not practise gender discrimination,” Mottley stated during the tournament’s launch event. She also issued a public call to female athletes across the country, urging them to rise to the occasion and help the tournament hit its 12-team participation goal.
Eastmond echoed that call, emphasizing the far-reaching benefits of expanding opportunities for women in football beyond the pitch. “Women’s football empowers female athletes, both on and off the field. Young female players consistently report greater confidence and motivation compared to non-players,” he explained. “However, I think the biggest advantage of women’s football is breaking the stereotype that it is a male-oriented and male-dominated sport.”
Athletes interested in joining the new division can complete their registration via the official Prime Minister’s Cup Instagram page, where a direct registration link is posted in the account’s bio.