After a long a professional career in one of FIFA’s largest Member Associations (MAs), Atiba Harris is now trying to develop football in one of the smallest. The retired defender spent more than a decade playing in Major League Soccer (MLS), suiting up for six clubs (including FC Dallas, where he won the U.S. Open Cup in 2016). But the former Saint Kitts and Nevis national team captain always kept one eye on his homeland. In 2021, the year after he ended his playing career with OKC Energy FC, Harris was elected President of the St. Kitts and Nevis Football Association (SKNFA) at just 36 years of age.

Saint Kitts and Nevis is an island nation in the Caribbean of around 50,000 people. But football is growing under Harris’ leadership and thanks to FIFA’s support. Making the game truly global includes investing in deserving, passionate places like Saint Kitts and Nevis. Even in countries whose population could fit comfortably inside many stadiums, the results can be measured and the impact can be lasting. In 2023, the Sugar Boyz qualified for the finals of the Concacaf Gold Cup – a historic achievement for a nation of its size.

“FIFA’s support has had a tremendous impact on football development in Saint Kitts and Nevis over the past several years. Through programmes such as FIFA Forward, Football for Schools, the Talent Development Scheme and, most recently, the FIFA Arena project, we have been able to move development from the planning stage to real impact on the ground,” Harris said recently. Launched after FIFA President Gianni Infantino took office in 2016, the FIFA Forward Programme has distributed nearly USD 5.1 billion in funding to MAs and regional associations around the world. Each individual MA received up to USD 8 million each during FIFA Forward phase 3.0 (2023-26), which represents a seven-fold increase from before the programme’s launch. That money can make a profound difference in nations like Saint Kitts and Nevis.

It allows them to compete. The SKNFA has used more than USD 2 million in FIFA Forward funds to prepare their senior and youth national teams for events ranging from the Concacaf Nations League to women’s Olympic Football Tournament qualifying. The support covers training camps, travel and accommodation, and competition-related costs. The Sugar Boyz took a memorable trip to Indonesia to compete in the FIFA Series last March, when they fell to the hosts before rebounding for a memorable 4-2 win over the Solomon Islands. In October, the SKNFA will send a squad to the FIFA U-15 World Cup & Festival 2026™ in Azerbaijan.

The funding also allows them to develop and simply play. The SKNFA Technical Centre, located, in St. Peter’s, in St Kitts, and built with nearly USD 3 million in FIFA support, opened in 2022 and provides a home for the country’s football players, coaches and administrators. It has been a game-changer. The grassroots are being tended to as well. This year, the SKNFA and FIFA partnered on a pair of FIFA Arena mini-pitches – one on each island. They were completed in March.

“Through FIFA Forward, we have been able to develop a home for football development at the SKNFA Technical Centre, providing the foundation for the continued growth of the sport,” Harris said. “The FIFA Arenas are particularly important because they are creating safe, accessible spaces where children and communities can play, train and develop their love for the game. This is the kind of investment that creates a lasting legacy for football in Saint Kitts and Nevis.”