The St. Lucia Semi-Pro Football League is set to kick off its highly anticipated second season on Sunday, June 22, 2025, with a renewed commitment to deepening its community impact, enhancing professionalism in local football, and expanding opportunities for youth across the island.
The season opener will begin with a short ceremony at 5:30 p.m., featuring remarks from Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre, the Minister of Youth Development and Sports, and the President of the St. Lucia Football Association (SLFA). The football action gets underway promptly at 6:00 p.m. with Marchand, the Prime Minister’s home team, taking on Laborie in the Tier 2 opener. The feature Tier 1 Premiership clash at 8:00 p.m. will see Gros Islet face off against newly promoted Mon Repos.
Francis Daniel
According to Francis Daniel, CEO of the league, this new season will build significantly on the successes of the inaugural year, which surpassed expectations in both organization and community reception.
“We definitely think it went a lot better than the plan,” Daniel said. “The feedback we got from our major stakeholders, including the Government of Saint Lucia and the SLFA, was overwhelmingly positive.”
The league, which operates with the support of these two principal partners, was designed as a bridge between amateur and fully professional football. It also serves dual purposes: providing high-quality, competitive football that can feed the national team program, and promoting social and economic development through sport.
One of the most significant upgrades this season is the expansion of the Tier 1 Premiership format to a double round-robin, featuring 10 teams. Last season's 49 matches have grown to an ambitious 94 games this year.
“This is a major, major improvement,” Daniel noted. “We’re taking the game more into the communities this year. Last season, we used four venues, but only really activated two. This season, we’re going to 10 different venues across the island.”
Tier 2 (the Super League) and Tier 1 (the Premiership) will again run parallel to one another. In 2024, Vieux Fort South won the Super League while La Clery claimed the Premiership title.
Beyond the action on the pitch, the league is placing greater emphasis on engaging communities directly—both culturally and economically.
“When we go into communities, we bring everything with us,” Daniel explained. “We allow local residents to take charge of vending and other peripheral activities. It’s not just about profit for us—it’s about creating opportunities for people on the ground.”
Matches will be played throughout the week, with two Wednesday night double-headers and full matchdays on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Friday and Saturday games start at 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m., while Sunday fixtures begin at 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m.
All matches will be streamed live on the league’s YouTube channel, SLU Semi-Pro League, via a private contractor with a strong track record for quality commentary and production. The league is also in discussions with local platforms such as People Plus to further expand broadcast coverage.
The league is structured to mirror professional standards. All players and technical staff are compensated, and prize money for the top four teams in each tier is substantial. In 2024, the league awarded approximately EC$200,000 in cash prizes across both tiers, alongside trophies, medals, and individual awards.
“That’s a lot for a first-time installation,” Daniel acknowledged. “But we’re working to grow that with sponsorships. It’s not an unachievable goal.”
The funding model includes a combination of government backing and private sponsorship. Daniel emphasized the economic value of this investment, pointing out how players’ earnings recirculate within their communities, stimulating local economies and supporting families.
The St. Lucia Semi-Pro Football League’s structure has already begun attracting interest from neighbouring Caribbean nations. Daniel revealed that he presented the model to OECS Heads of Government and was recently approached by stakeholders in Barbados and St. Vincent and the Grenadines who are exploring similar implementations.
“This league is taking young men off the streets and giving them something positive and structured,” he said. “When Vieux Fort South held their first training session after promotion, 60 young men showed up. That tells you the kind of appetite and hope this league is creating.”
Daniel expressed pride not only in the execution of the league, but in its growing influence. “It’s catching on, it’s gripping the nation, and it’s occupying the minds and time of young men across the country. We need to replicate this model—because our young people need direction, structure, and opportunity.”