Did You Know Worldwide Less Than 1% of Footballers Reach the Elite Level?

The Football Federation of Belize (FFB) and FIFA sat down this week to go over the findings of a wide-ranging analysis of amateur and grassroots football in Belize, and early indications suggest the country is holding its own on the global stage.

The data, drawn from surveys conducted in 2023 and 2024, has now been compiled across 105 countries, giving Belize a rare opportunity to see exactly where it stands in comparison to the rest of the world. FFB President Sergio Chuc said the picture is encouraging. “We will be looking at how far the other countries are compared to Belize, and for us it is looking pretty good that we are on the right path, well organised, and the work must continue,” he said.

FIFA‘s amateur football manager Javier Sanchez, who presented the findings, said the analysis was part of a broader global effort with two clear goals, growing participation and making the game accessible to everyone. “We conducted the analysis to get a big picture of the amateur football worldwide and in Belize,” he said.

Perhaps the most sobering number to come out of the workshop was one that puts the entire exercise in perspective. According to FFB technical development director Phillip Marin, less than one per cent of players worldwide ever reach the elite level of the sport.

That means the vast majority of people who play football will spend their entire careers in the amateur and grassroots system, and that system deserves just as much attention as the top tier. “It is important for us as a federation and FIFA and CONCACAF to cater to the players that cannot reach the elite branch,” Marin said.