Guatemala has held the first FIFA Talent Academy milestone event in North America, Central America and the Caribbean, reflecting the country's dedication and commitment to helping young footballers fulfil their potential.

The academy is part of the FIFA Talent Development Scheme (TDS) which has been introduced in more than 200 Member Associations around the world, providing them with expert guidance to help ensure that every talented player is given a chance.

The milestone event was attended by the President of the Guatemalan Football Association (Fedefut) Gerardo Paiz, Fedefut leaders and representatives from FIFA, including the Director of Global Football Development Steven Martens. It was the third such launch to be held globally after Bahrain and Mauritania.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino recalled how he had discussed football development in his two visits to the country. "I had the honour of visiting Guatemala in 2022 and 2023, and I will never forget witnessing the passion, the energy, and the deep love for football amongst its people. During those visits we talked about the importance of investing in the development of football and today we see how this vision is becoming a reality," he said in a video message.

"Guatemala already has a world-class High Performance Centre thanks to the support of the FIFA Forward Programme, and with this new FIFA academy, we offer young players a clear and sustainable pathway to develop to their full potential. This academy will be a place where dreams will be born, talent will be nurtured."

One of the practical objectives of the TDS is to establish 75 elite Talent Academies – run by FIFA and the respective host FIFA Member Association – around the world by 2027. These will help ensure that the best young players, both girls and boys, receive the best possible coaching, have access to proper facilities and a chance to play in a competitive environment.

FIFA also wants to help foster social and personal growth, developing well-rounded individuals by instilling values such as discipline, teamwork and leadership through football, ensuring players not only excel on the pitch but also grow as responsible, contributing members of society.

“Through the TDS, a solid base has been established for youth teams and a strategic methodology has been implemented that will help in the identification, education and development of young talent in Guatemala," said Steven Martens.

"Beyond the technical achievements, this project has become a unifying factor between the federation, departmental associations, academies and clubs, promoting unprecedented integration in the structure of Guatemalan football."

In the long run, the academy may help Guatemala fulfil its dream of qualifying for the FIFA World Cup™ and FIFA Women’s World Cup™ for the first time.