As he delivered his address at the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) congress in Budapest, Hungary, this week (23 May), Minister of Sports the Hon. Mark Scotland, JP, called Mr. Jeff Webb’s election as new Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football (CONCACAF) president a proud moment for the Cayman Islands.

Attending the CFU, CONCACAF and FIFA congresses, as a guest of FIFA, Mr. Scotland pointed to the important role of sports administrators: “Behind football’s famous clubs and players stand the administrators, such as Mr. Webb, who quietly ensure the smooth running of the sport,” he noted.

Mr. Webb, who ran unopposed for the CONCACAF presidency, was elected unanimously. As CONCACAF president, Mr. Webb was also appointed as vice president of FIFA at the FIFA congress.

“His election and FIFA appointment is a proud moment for the Cayman Islands. As CONCACAF president, Mr. Webb will become one of the most important men in the sport of football worldwide – and to think he has achieved this coming from a small country with less than 60,000 residents. This is a truly historic achievement on his part.”

Minister Scotland went on to laud the new CONCACAF president’s abilities, noting that Mr. Webb is arguably the best football administrator in the Caribbean region.

“With his can-do attitude combined with his leadership skills and signature diplomatic style, Mr. Webb’s contributions to the growth of the sport of football in the Cayman Islands are unsurpassed,” he noted.

Mr. Webb became president of the Cayman Islands Football Association (CIFA) in 1991. A year later, CIFA became a member of CONCACAF and in July of that same year the association became a member of FIFA.

Speaking just before Mr. Webb’s inauguration, Minister Scotland shared memories of Mr. Webb’s early days in Cayman football: “I remember the election in 1991 very well – as I was elected vice president along with Jeff. In 1991 Jeff and I were in our mid 20’s, and I vividly remember the day Jeff invited me to lunch to talk about standing for election to the Cayman Islands Football Association executive.

“From then, I learned of the passion he had and continues to have for the sport of football. His passion was coupled with a vision, not just for Cayman Islands football, but even then Jeff knew he wanted to contribute to the growth and development of football locally, regionally and indeed internationally.

“It is safe to say that under Mr. Webb’s leadership, football has become an every man’s – and woman’s – sport in our Islands. The Association currently presides over sixteen domestic league and cup competitions, ranging from under 13 boys, under 15 boys, under 17 boys, under 17 girls to the senior men and women’s level,” the Minister continued.

During his tenure as CIFA president Mr. Webb has also served as a member and deputy chairman of the FIFA internal audit committee, the FIFA transparency and compliance committee, the Caribbean observer on the FIFA executive committee and a member of the CONCACAF youth committee. Most recently he led the CFU normalization committee.