History

The first decade of the 21st century brought major changes. In 2002 A FIFA Goal Project was awarded and NAVU built its own training and development center. By 2003 NAVU and FFK had proper offices, meeting rooms and a dormitory. FIFA financial aid guaranteed further development and a professional staff was installed. Later that year the first FFK women’s championship was also held with five teams.

Then, an ambitious program was launched to get us to the World Cup in 2006. Until 2003 our national selections had consisted solely of players living in Curaçao and Bonaire. Trainers Pim Verbeek and Henk Duut broadened the scope and NAVU started actively recruiting Antillean players at the top level of the Dutch national competition. In 2004 a selection of both Caribbean and European players won two Caribbean tournaments and reached the second round of the CONCACAF prequalification.

In recent years a large number of courses in all aspects of football management and training took place. FFK, FIFA and the KNVB provided courses in refereeing, coaching, management and women’s football; Curaçao participated in FIFA, CONCACAF and Olympic training; and thanks to the FIFA GOAL Project, we realized a Health & Fitness Center and a training field with artificial turf.

Curaçao became an autonomous country in the Dutch Kingdom in 2010 and the Antillean NAVU ceased to exist. All activities are now executed by the FIFA-affiliated Curaçao Football Federation FFK.

Ongoing efforts in youth development over the past decade are paying off. More teams are participating in our Youth Championships and FFK started a Football Academy for talented young players, together with our partner Fundashon Bon Intenshon. Selections of both girls and boys are performing well at a Caribbean level, so we will definitely continue our efforts, both at the base and in the Talent Academy.

Football in Curaçao has grown immensely. The success of our national team, winning the Caribbean Cup and making it to the quarter finals of the Gold Cup, has had a positive spinoff on Curaçao as a whole. The Men’s National Team, led by legendary coach Guus Hiddink, is playing the qualification rounds for the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, also acting as an inspiration for our national youth teams. We are determined to build a pathway for both boys and girls to play the sport at the highest level possible.

Women’s football is the world’s fastest growing sport, and FFK has pledged to create an infrastructure where girls and women can thrive in all areas of football. Our Women’s Team will be participating at the senior level on a bigger scale for the first time, thanks to CONCACAF and FIFA’s commitment. FFK strives to engage women of all ages and is now working on a major marketing plan specifically tailored to the women’s game.