The third season of the Saint Lucia Semi-Professional Football League starts on June 27 and brings several changes. There is new leadership, higher pay, new technology, and a new format for the second division. The league was officially launched on Wednesday, May 27, at Bel Jou Hotel in Castries.
Alvin Malaykhan, the new CEO who takes over from Francis “Parry” Daniel, told league representatives and the media that the 2026 season will begin on June 27 with two Premier League games at the Philip Marcellin Grounds in Vieux Fort.
The card will feature a Community Shield clash between two-time Tier 1 champions La Clery and Tier 2 winners Anse La Raye. Vieux Fort North and Vieux Fort South will also meet in what promises to be an entertaining community derby.
This third season of the domestic semi-pro league will receive more funding for football from partners like the central Government and the National Lotteries Authority.
Dr Uralise Delaire, the permanent secretary in the Department of Youth Development & Sports and chairperson of SPFL, said that monthly player stipends will be based on discipline, attendance and punctuality.
“On average, the monthly payment for each Tier 1 district league is approximately $25,000, a significant increase from $13,190 in the league’s initial year,” she explained. “Collectively, this represents a season investment of approximately $1.5 million, or $250,000 dollars per month across 10 leagues.”
Administrators, teams, clubs, and district leagues were also asked to show professionalism and discipline.
“We expect clubs, our district leagues, to honour schedules, administrative deadlines, and league regulations,” said Malaykhan. “We expect better preparation, stronger branding, improved fan engagement, and greater commitment to player welfare and development… This league belongs to all of us… We are building something bigger than ourselves.”
Sports minister Kenson Casimir said that one of the tournament’s main goals is to help young men grow both on and off the field.
“We’ve already started the engagement with some key individuals to start the process of psychosocial development of our footballers, financial development of our footballers, personal development of our footballers,” he stated.
“It’s not just about running around and kicking a ball. Are you transitioning to a more productive citizen? That is what I want our footballers to ask themselves this year, this season: Are you using this opportunity to become a more productive citizen? Because if, after all this investment and the continued investment in our young people, we are not improving our young men into better citizens, then this is all for naught.”
Lyndon Cooper, president of the Saint Lucia Football Association, encouraged everyone involved to keep working toward making football fully professional in Saint Lucia and to protect the sport’s growth.
“I want to encourage every single person – players, officials, team administrators, coaches, physiotherapists – that you have an obligation and a responsibility to ensure that we protect the integrity of the game both on and off the field,” he said.
The top tier will have 90 matches over six months, ending in January 2027. Tier 2, called the Super League, will feature two groups of five teams each. Malaykhan says this change will bring “greater intensity” and “higher stakes”.
This year, the number of technical staff will go up from five to eight, and all players will have insurance. Games will be available on the Tournify app, making the competition more interactive and accessible. Some games will also be advertised and streamed worldwide on the FIFA+ platform.
Good to see the system improving