Caribbean Football Union
Regional governing organization for association football in the Caribbean, including Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
The Caribbean Football Union (CFU) is the regional organization representing association-football associations across the Caribbean and parts of the Guianas. It operates within the CONCACAF framework and represents 25 FIFA-affiliated national associations together with six Caribbean territories that are not FIFA members. The union's work includes regional competition administration, development activity, coordination among national associations, and representation of Caribbean football within the wider CONCACAF system. The organization was inaugurated on 28 January 1978 in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Its formation followed an initiative led by former Trinidad and Tobago international footballer Patrick Raymond. Raymond had initially explored the possibility of establishing a Caribbean franchise in the North American Soccer League. After discussions with NASL commissioner Phil Woosnam, the concept developed into a broader Caribbean professional league proposal. With assistance from former England player and sports businessman Jimmy Hill, his World Sports Academy, and advice attributed to former FIFA president Sir Stanley Rous, the organizers concluded that a regional governing body within CONCACAF should be established first. Raymond presented the initiative in Port of Spain in August 1977, leading to the CFU's creation the following year. The CFU followed an earlier, unsuccessful attempt at regional organization: the British Caribbean Football Association, established in 1957. That body was associated with the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association and even sent a representative team to tour the United Kingdom in 1959, but it did not become the durable regional structure later provided by the CFU. Throughout its history, the union has organized or supported national-team and club competitions. Its early CFU Championship operated from 1978 to 1988. The Caribbean Cup then served as the principal senior men's national-team tournament from 1989 through 2017, with leading teams earning access to the CONCACAF Gold Cup. At club level, the Caribbean Club Championship provided a regional route toward CONCACAF's continental club competitions. The modern competition structure includes the CONCACAF Caribbean Cup and the CFU Club Shield, while youth challenge competitions provide additional opportunities for development and regional participation. The CFU also previously supported the Caribbean Professional Football League, which operated from 1992 to 1994. The organization has experienced several headquarters and leadership changes. In May 2013, its offices moved from Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, to Kingston, Jamaica, under general secretary Damien E. Hughes. In 2015, Neil Cochrane replaced Hughes and announced that some jobs would move from Jamaica to Antigua and Barbuda, where a smaller headquarters operation would be maintained. The presidency has changed hands several times, including the long tenure of Jack Warner, the acting presidencies of Lisle Austin, Yves Jean-Bart and Randolph Harris, and the later presidencies of Gordon Derrick, Harris and Lyndon Cooper. The CFU's reputation was seriously damaged by the 2011 CONCACAF and FIFA corruption investigations. Caribbean football representatives were given envelopes containing US$40,000 during a meeting, and leaked video showed then-president Jack Warner discussing the money with delegates. The resulting FIFA investigation examined more than 30 representatives and led to Warner's resignation as CFU president, suspensions involving senior officials, and resignations within several national associations. Despite that crisis, the CFU remains the principal regional football body for its member associations and continues to function as a competition, development and coordination organization within CONCACAF.
History
Efforts to create a common Caribbean football structure predate the CFU. In January 1957, the British Caribbean Football Association was established with Trinidad and Tobago football officials in leading roles. The association later arranged a representative team's tour of the United Kingdom in 1959, but it did not develop into the enduring regional governing body that Caribbean football required. The immediate origins of the Caribbean Football Union came from an initiative by Patrick Raymond, a former Trinidad and Tobago national player. In 1976, Raymond approached Phil Woosnam, commissioner of the North American Soccer League, with the idea of placing a Caribbean franchise in the league. Woosnam instead encouraged the development of a Caribbean professional league. Raymond pursued the idea with support from former England player and businessman Jimmy Hill and his World Sports Academy. Advice attributed to former FIFA president Sir Stanley Rous helped shift the priority toward creating a Caribbean regional federation within CONCACAF. Raymond formally advanced the proposal in Port of Spain in August 1977. The Caribbean Football Union was inaugurated on 28 January 1978 in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. It became the regional representative organization for football associations in the Caribbean and a sub-group of CONCACAF. The union's membership came to include FIFA member nations as well as territories without FIFA affiliation, giving it a role that extended beyond the standard FIFA national-association structure. The CFU developed competitions for both national teams and clubs. The CFU Championship, also known as the CFU Nations Cup, operated from 1978 to 1988. It was followed by the Caribbean Cup, which became the principal senior men's national-team tournament in the region from 1989 to 2017. The Caribbean Cup also served as a qualification route toward the CONCACAF Gold Cup, with the leading four teams historically earning access to that continental tournament. Club football became another major part of the union's activity. The Caribbean Club Championship gave the region's leading clubs a path into CONCACAF competition. From 1997 through 2008, its winner qualified for the CONCACAF Champions' Cup. Between the 2008–09 and 2016–17 seasons, the leading three clubs advanced to a preliminary stage of the CONCACAF Champions League. After the competition's rebranding in 2017, the regional champion gained access to the knockout stage of the CONCACAF Champions League. The CFU also organized the Caribbean Professional Football League, a pan-Caribbean league that operated from 1992 to 1994. Later competition structures included the CFU Club Shield, regional youth challenge series and the CONCACAF Caribbean Cup. The union has also been associated with representative selections rather than a permanent Caribbean national team. A Caribbean XI played Brazilian club São Paulo FC in 1987, and a Caribbean selection met the Trinidad and Tobago national team the following year. Such matches were generally staged in Port of Spain. In 1993, president Jack Warner rejected the idea of merging Caribbean countries into a single FIFA national team modeled on the West Indies cricket team, arguing instead that the region's separate associations should develop within the existing football system. Administrative leadership has changed repeatedly. André Kamperveen was the first president, serving from 1978 to 1982, followed by Jack Warner from 1983 to 2011. Lisle Austin and Yves Jean-Bart served as acting presidents during the 2011–2012 transition. Gordon Derrick led from 2012 to 2017, followed by Randolph Harris as acting president and then as president from 2018 to 2025. Lyndon Cooper became president in 2025. The general-secretary position was held by Jack Warner, Ivan Barrow, Harold Taylor, Kerry-Ann Alleyne, Angenie Kanhai, Damien E. Hughes and Neil Cochrane across successive periods. In May 2013, during Hughes's administration, the CFU moved its offices from Port of Spain to Kingston, Jamaica. In 2015, Cochrane announced a restructuring in which some positions would be transferred from Jamaica to Antigua and Barbuda and a smaller headquarters would be rented. The most serious crisis in the union's history occurred in 2011. Several representatives of Caribbean football associations were given envelopes containing US$40,000. The matter was reported to CONCACAF general secretary Chuck Blazer, and video from a private meeting was subsequently leaked. The footage showed Jack Warner telling recipients that the money was for personal use. FIFA opened an investigation involving more than 30 CFU representatives. The fallout included Warner's resignation as president, suspensions of CFU vice-presidents and staff, and resignations by personnel from several national associations. The episode damaged confidence in Caribbean football governance but did not eliminate the CFU's continuing regional role.
- 2025
Lyndon Cooper becomes president
[1]Lyndon Cooper succeeded Randolph Harris as CFU president.
- 2017
Caribbean Cup period ends and club competition structure changes
[1]The Caribbean Cup concluded after the 2017 cycle, while the rebranded regional club championship gained a route to the CONCACAF Champions League knockout stage.
- 2015
Administrative restructuring announced
[1]Neil Cochrane announced that some staff positions would move to Antigua and Barbuda and that the headquarters footprint would be reduced.
- 2013
Headquarters moves to Kingston
[1]The union relocated its offices from Port of Spain to Kingston, Jamaica.
- 2011
Governance scandal triggers investigation
[1]Payments to football representatives and leaked meeting footage led to a FIFA investigation and senior leadership consequences.
- 1992
Caribbean Professional Football League begins
[1]The CFU's pan-Caribbean professional league began a short operating period that lasted until 1994.
- 1989
Caribbean Cup era begins
[1]The Caribbean Cup replaced the earlier CFU Championship as the region's principal senior national-team competition.
- 1987
Caribbean representative team plays São Paulo FC
[1]A Caribbean XI hosted Brazilian club São Paulo FC in an exhibition fixture.
- 1978
Caribbean Football Union inaugurated
[1]The CFU was formally inaugurated in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, on 28 January.
- 1977
Regional-football proposal presented in Port of Spain
[1]Patrick Raymond advanced the initiative that led to a Caribbean governing body within CONCACAF.
Products and positioning
A regional football governing and competition-organizing body that connects Caribbean national associations and territories with CONCACAF's continental football system.
National-team competition · 1978
CFU Championship
The CFU Championship, also called the CFU Nations Cup, was an early regional tournament for Caribbean national teams. It was active from 1978 through 1988 and provided one of the first recurring competitive platforms organized by the newly formed union.
National-team competition · 1989
Caribbean Cup
The Caribbean Cup was the region's principal senior men's national-team competition from 1989 to 2017. Its leading teams historically qualified for the CONCACAF Gold Cup, linking regional performance to the wider North American, Central American and Caribbean championship system.
Club competition · 1997
Caribbean Club Championship
The Caribbean Club Championship was the union's principal competition for leading Caribbean clubs. Its qualification value evolved over time, with the winner entering the CONCACAF Champions' Cup from 1997 and later leading clubs reaching preliminary or knockout stages of successor CONCACAF competitions.
Club competition
CFU Club Shield
The CFU Club Shield is a regional club competition associated with the modern CFU competition portfolio. It broadens organized continental pathways beyond the region's strongest professional clubs and supports competitive participation among Caribbean associations.
Club competition
CONCACAF Caribbean Cup
The CONCACAF Caribbean Cup is the modern regional club competition identified in the CFU's competition structure. It provides Caribbean clubs with a route into CONCACAF's broader club-competition system.
Professional league · 1992
Caribbean Professional Football League
The Caribbean Professional Football League was a pan-Caribbean league organized by the CFU. It operated from 1992 to 1994 as an attempt to create a regular cross-border professional club structure in the region.
Youth football
Youth challenge series
The CFU's youth challenge series provides regional competition and development opportunities for younger players and national associations. Specific competition names, formats and launch dates are not established in the supplied material.
Controversies
2011
CFU envelope-payment corruption scandal
In May 2011, several Caribbean football representatives received envelopes containing US$40,000 during a CFU-related meeting. Leaked video showed president Jack Warner discussing the money with delegates and characterizing it as personal funds. FIFA investigated the conduct of more than 30 representatives. The consequences included Warner's resignation as CFU president, suspensions affecting vice-presidents and staff, and resignations within several national associations.
Brand decisions
2017
Transition to a revised Caribbean club-competition structureGeneration changeBackground
CONCACAF's club competitions were reorganized and the regional Caribbean club championship was rebranded.
Action taken
From 2017, the regional champion was given access to the knockout stage of the CONCACAF Champions League, replacing the earlier qualification arrangements.
Aftermath
The change strengthened the link between Caribbean club competition and the continental CONCACAF pathway.
2015
Reduce headquarters footprint and redistribute staffStrategyBackground
After Neil Cochrane replaced Damien E. Hughes as general secretary, the CFU reviewed the location and scale of its administrative operations.
Action taken
Cochrane announced that several jobs would move from Jamaica to Antigua and Barbuda and that a smaller headquarters would be rented.
Aftermath
The change created a more distributed administrative structure, although the supplied sources do not provide staffing or cost details.
2013
Move headquarters from Port of Spain to KingstonStrategyBackground
The CFU sought a new administrative base under general secretary Damien E. Hughes.
Action taken
The union relocated its offices from Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, to Kingston, Jamaica, in May 2013.
Aftermath
The organization later announced another administrative adjustment involving the relocation of some jobs to Antigua and Barbuda.
Recent events
- 2015
CFU leadership and staffing changes announced[1]
Leadership change
Neil Cochrane replaced Damien E. Hughes and announced that some positions would move from Jamaica to Antigua and Barbuda, alongside a smaller headquarters operation.
- 2013
CFU offices relocated to Kingston[1]
Other
The union moved its offices from Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, to Kingston, Jamaica.
- 1978
CFU formed as Caribbean regional football body[1]
Other
The Caribbean Football Union was inaugurated in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, as a CONCACAF regional organization.
Sources2 sources
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