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The Tobago House of Assembly (THA) formally expressed concern at the format change of the Secondary Schools Football League (SSFL) Premier Division competition yesterday, while Signal Hill Secondary principal Arianne D’Abreau-Forde slammed the lack of “transparency, fairness and meaningful consultation” by the governing football body over the controversial change.
Yesterday, the SSFL Fixtures Committee released its first draft for the 2026 Premier Division, with the 15 Trinidad-based top flight schools in one group while the two Tobago Premier Division schools were placed in another, alongside two second tier schools on the “sister isle”.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
Defending champions Naparima College, Arima North Secondary, Fatima College, Hillview College, Mucurapo West Secondary, Presentation College (San Fernando), Queen’s Royal College (QRC), San Juan North Secondary, Signal Hill Secondary, St Anthony’s College, St Augustine Secondary, St Benedict’s College, St Mary’s College (CIC), Trinity College (Moka), and Trinity College East comprise the Trinidad top tier division.
All 15 schools were already due to play in the 2026 Premier Division.
In Tobago, Signal Hill and Speyside Secondary are grouped with second tier football schools: Bishop’s High School and Scarborough Secondary.
With just four schools in the Tobago division, the SSFL’s draft fixtures suggested that each team would play each other four times—twice at home, and twice away—before an eventual winner is decided.
The groups were labelled as the “Trinidad Premiership” and “Tobago Premiership” respectively.
The top three Trinidad teams and Tobago winners advance to a National Big Four competition, with all four schools playing each other.
The format change is the result of a vote by the SSFL general council on Wednesday 22 July, which favoured a proposal by the North Zone to separate the two islands in boys’ top flight league competition.
The decision, reported exclusively by Wired868, was meant to compensate for the SSFL executive’s failure to raise funds to assist Trinidad schools for their trips to Tobago for matches.
Photo: Daniel Prentice/ Wired868.
D’Abreau-Forde urged the SSFL executive, headed by president Merere Gonzales, to reconsider that decision, “in the interest of fairness, consistency, good governance, and the long-term development of secondary school football throughout Trinidad and Tobago”.
She noted, in a letter to Gonzales, that the two so-called Premier Divisions were “neither equivalent nor comparable”—with half of the Tobago version drawn from second tier football schools.
“Consequently, Tobago’s two Premier Division schools are denied the opportunity to compete consistently against the country’s strongest opposition,” stated the Signal Hill principal, “placing them at a competitive disadvantage and undermining the purpose and integrity of a national Premier Division.”
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
She also queried the composition of the National Big Four composition, which will feature three Trinidad schools and one from Tobago.
“Limiting Tobago to one qualifying place while Trinidad is allocated three, significantly reduces the opportunities available to Tobago schools and student athletes to compete in one of the country’s premier school football competitions,” she said. “Such an imbalance is difficult to justify in a national competition.”
For D’Abreau-Forde, the Premier Division changes “raise serious concerns regarding fairness, governance, and the integrity of school football in Trinidad and Tobago”.
Photo: Daniel Prentice/ Wired868
And, she said, it “unfairly disadvantages Tobago schools”.
“Tobago schools already incur the highest travel and logistical costs to participate in national competitions,” said D’Abreau-Forde. “Participation in the Premier Division enhances the prestige of our schools, provides invaluable exposure for our student athletes, and allows them to test their abilities against the best school teams in Trinidad and Tobago on a consistent basis.
“The proposed structure diminishes those opportunities rather than strengthens them.”
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
Under usual Premier Division competition rules, since most top flight schools are based in Trinidad, the Tobago Premier teams travel to Trinidad seven or eight times per season while their counterparts cross the seabridge just once.
It costs schools between $9,600 and $22,000 per inter-island game for travel, ground transport, meals, and, if necessary, an overnight stay at a guest house.
The format change was done in keeping with the SSFL Constitution, with all school representatives allowed to make points and vote on the various proposals.
Photo: Dirk Allahar/ bCreative/ Wired868.
Schools had three options for the 2026 Premier Division season but eventually opted for the current proposal by a vote of 9-6, with another six abstentions.
However, D’Abreau-Forde suggested that, due to the far-reaching consequences of the change in the Premier Division structure, the SSFL executive should have allowed for more consultation.
“These proposals represent a significant departure from the established structure of the SSFL, and set a concerning precedent for the governance of school football,” said the Signal Hill principal. “Decisions that fundamentally alter national competitions should be transparent, equitable, and developed through meaningful consultation with all affected principals.
Photo: Dirk Allahar/ bcreative designs/ Wired868.
“[…] As the SSFL is a Principals’ League, changes of this magnitude should have been discussed directly with the Tobago principals whose schools are most affected.
“Tobago principals were neither consulted nor given the opportunity to contribute before these proposals were advanced. This falls short of the principles of transparency, fairness, and democratic governance that should guide decisions affecting member schools.”
THA chief secretary Farley Augustine also publicly joined the school football discussion yesterday, when his office noted “with concern” the changes in the SSFL Premier Division format.
Photo: Daniel Prentice/ Wired868.
The THA has subsidised travel for Tobago Premier Division schools since 2015. In the subsequent decade, there has always been at least one representative from the sister isle in the SSFL top flight.
Ironically, there might easily have been three Tobago schools in the 2026 Premier Division competition, after the SSFL Appeals Committee urged members to keep Scarborough in the top tier.
Scarborough were demoted due to a point deduction, after being misled by general secretary Laurence Seepersad on the eligibility of a player before their closing game of the season against San Juan North.
(via Scarborough Secondary.)
However, Gonzales and Seepersad did not ask the general council to consider the Appeal Committee’s plea for Scarborough and, instead, opted to save Malick Secondary from demotion.
Augustine said the THA is “engaging the relevant stakeholders to ascertain the circumstances under which the reported decision was made and its potentially wide-reaching effects on Tobago”
“The Tobago House of Assembly recognises the importance of secondary school football in Tobago, particularly in supporting the development of young athletes,” stated the THA release. “We also acknowledge the concerns expressed by players, parents, coaches and the wider Tobago community.
Photo: Allan V Crane/ CA Images/ Wired868.
“[…] The Tobago House of Assembly is committed to advancing youth development, sports and education in Tobago and remains resolute in ensuring that this matter is resolved in the best interests of the secondary school football fraternity.”
For the Signal Hill principal, Tobago’s top two schools had “a legitimate expectation” of participation in a national Premier Division, for which they were already in pre-season training.
Last season, Signal Hill finished third in the Premier Division and were a whisker away from becoming the first secondary school to win the title in the Premier era—only to stumble in their final match of the season against eventual champs, Naparima.
Photo: Nicholas Bhajan/ Wired868.
Signal Hill also finished as National Intercol runners-up.
D’Abreau-Forde said the change in the SSFL Premier Division format, would make it harder for Tobago teams to keep up with their Trinidad counterparts.
“Tobago schools deserve equal opportunities to compete, develop, and excel within a single national system,” said the Signal Hill principal, in a letter to the SSFL president.
Photo: Nicholas Williams/ Wired868.
“I therefore respectfully request that these proposals be reconsidered in the interest of fairness, consistency, good governance, and the long-term development of secondary school football throughout Trinidad and Tobago.”
Thus far, Gonzales has not responded to Wired868’s request for comment on the controversial Premier Division change, while neither he nor Seepersad have made any public statement on the matter.
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Lasana Liburd is the managing director and chief editor at Wired868.com and a journalist with over 20 years experience at several Trinidad and Tobago and international publications including Play the Game, World Soccer, UK Guardian and the Trinidad Express.
If there are 4 zones in Tdad why only 3 tdad schools go into Big Four…..article is confusing.
The Trinidad schools go into the National Big Four from the Premiership and not the zones. There are two Big Fours though. The other is the traditional competition that decides on promotion to the Premier Division. Before that was a Big Five, but since Tobago are out–it is now a Big Four.
The four zonal winners go into the second Big Four and the top two teams from that will advance to the 2027 Trinidad Premiership. I suppose one of those competitions will need a new name.
The Trinidad schools go into the National Big Four from the Premiership and not the zones. There are two Big Fours though. The other is the traditional competition that decides on promotion to the Premier Division. Before that was a Big Five, but since Tobago are out–it is now a Big Four.
The four zonal winners go into the second Big Four and the top two teams from that will advance to the 2027 Trinidad Premiership. I suppose one of those competitions will need a new name.