The FIFA Talent Academy Aruba

The Aruban Football Association (AVB) was only affiliated to FIFA in 1988, and the development of the game on the island has historically been held back by a lack of infrastructure and opportunities. Now, thanks to the AVB and FIFA, the situation is changing.

The AVB’s academy was established in 2020. It expanded steadily over the following five years, and was officially recognised as FIFA Talent Academy Aruba in April 2025. In this webinar, hosted by FIFA Technical Expert Ann-Helén Grahm, TDS Talent Coach Chris Beardsley explains how the FIFA Talent Academy is transforming perceptions of the game on the island, and nuturing a new generation of elite players.

Good Practice

For players to reach their full potential, you need to incalcate a professional approach to all aspects of your youth system.
Each national association possesses unique advantages (such as all Arubans holding Dutch passports). Making the most of them can help you accelerate talent development.
A successful academy doesn’t necessarily have to produce international players to be successful. Associations have the freedom to define exactly what success looks like for them.

Watch presentation

Part 1: Introduction

Part 2: Giving every Aruban player a chance

Part 3: Q&A

Read summary

Part 1: Introduction to the FIFA Talent Academy Aruba
The opening section of the presentation describes how what became the FIFA Talent Academy Aruba was initially set up, and how the AVB made use of FIFA funding to expand it. By 2023, they had used some of that money to build a fully equipped gym, which was crucial in creting a high-performance environment. This improved infrastructure was complemented by talent development initatives like the TDS Masterclass and, later, the full-time academy for U-12s.

Part 2: Giving every Aruban player a chance
The drive to improve facilities on the island is just part of the AVB’s plan to help young Aruban players realise their full potential. To achieve this objective, the association also has strengthened the pathway for Arubans playing in the Netherlands (all Arubans hold Dutch passports) and developed the FIFA Talent Academy Aruba – the first full-time training programme for a team sport on the island. This work has fundamentally changed the culture around football on Aruba, and its youth sides are beginning to reap the benefits.

Q&A

01:23
How can the TDS and the FIFA Talent Academy model further support smaller member associations like Aruba to strengthen talent pathways, and to build connections between the grassroots and elite levels of the game?

04:07
You spoke about what that means for individual players, but how do you measure success more widely? What key indicators do you think member associations should be using to measure the success of an academy beyond producing professional players?

07:32
You showed us the organisational chart of the AVB and where the FIFA Talent Academy fits in, but the organisation is still growing. What strategies can member associations use to scale the talent academy model, and expand it to other age groups and girls’ football?

11:10
Do you have any final thoughts on your experience with FIFA Talent Academy Aruba?