In a landmark achievement for local football, Barbados Football Association (BFA) President Randy Harris has become the first Barbadian to hold a seat on world football’s most influential governing body.
Harris, who has been in football administration for nearly 50 years, was confirmed to have been elected to the FIFA Council earlier today at the 40th Ordinary Congress of the Confederation of North, Central America and Caribbean Association Football (Concacaf), held in St. Lucia.
The 71-year-old described his election as both an honour and a privilege. “I am looking forward to strengthening the voice of the region at the global table and continuing to support the FIFA President’s vision for football development worldwide,” he stated.
Harris’ new role will see him step away from the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) presidency, as he confirmed he will not be seeking re-election. However, he has assured that he will continue in his role at the BFA. “I am humbled and grateful for this opportunity and will continue to strive for excellence in the sport that has been my lifelong passion,” he added.
He holds the distinction of being the youngest General Secretary in Barbados when he was elevated to the post in 1982 at the age of 28; a position he held for seven years. In 2002, Harris returned to the BFA again as General Secretary where he served in that position for another two years. This period was marred by controversy and Harris was banned from all football by the world governing body FIFA, after he took the BFA to court in a dispute over election procedures. That ban lasted for four years; from 2003 – 2007. Three years later Harris returned to the BFA’s Executive Council when he was re-elected as a Floor Member and subsequently as President in 2012.
Harris was elected on September 30th, 2012, re-elected in 2016, and recently ran unopposed in the BFA’s 2020 elections to serve for the third time as the president of the Barbados Football Association for another four-year term.
The Concacaf Congress, attended by FIFA President Gianni Infantino, CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani, and key figures from global football, also saw the approval of the Confederation’s 2025 budget and elections for various FIFA Council and Concacaf Council positions. Among the distinguished attendees were CONMEBOL President and FIFA Vice President Alejandro Dominguez, St. Lucian Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre, and Minister of Sports Kenson Casimir. (JC)
