Women’s football in Antigua and Barbuda is set for a major boost following a landmark agreement between the Antigua and Barbuda Football Association (ABFA) and the Calvin Ayre Foundation (CAF).

At a joint press conference on Thursday at the Everton Gonsalves Conference Room, CAF manager Jamilla Kirwan announced that the foundation will inject $500,000 into women’s football over the next five years. The deal, believed to be the largest private investment in women’s football in the Caribbean outside of Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, makes CAF the title sponsor of the Women’s Premier League.

The new-look league kicks off this Sunday, October 5, at the ABFA Technical Center with a double-header, the first match starting at 4 p.m.

Officials say the partnership will strengthen the league’s structure, improve opportunities for female athletes, and raise the overall profile of women’s football in Antigua and Barbuda.

ABFA representatives praised the commitment as a historic turning point for the women’s game, which has long struggled for consistent funding and visibility.

With the CAF’s backing, the association says it hopes to elevate the league to regional prominence and inspire a new generation of players.