WILLEMSTAD, MIAMI – FIFA President Gianni Infantino held a personal meeting with Gilbert Martina, President of the Curaçao Football Federation (FFK), during the recent FIFA Summit in Miami. The two discussed essential reforms within the FFK and the broader development of football on the island, according to a statement from the local football governing body. 

Martina emphasized the urgent need to professionalize the federation, especially in areas such as governance and staffing with qualified professionals. He also introduced Infantino to his upcoming book “Healthy Minds – Healthy Nation”, which is expected to be published later this year or in early 2026. Infantino reportedly showed great interest in the book’s message, particularly in light of his own experiences with governance challenges when he first became FIFA president. 

The summit’s plenary session focused on global football progress and included presentations on key FIFA initiatives, such as the FIFA Forward program, a multi-billion dollar initiative that provides financial support to member federations, including the FFK. Youth development and women's football also featured prominently with programs like Football for Schools and the FIFA Youth Festival. 

During his visit, Martina also unveiled the FFK’s 2025–2029 strategic plan, which outlines core objectives such as strengthening youth and women’s football, improving coaching and referee training, enhancing club governance, and investing in football infrastructure. 

Following their meeting, Infantino shared on Instagram that he had a “productive discussion” with Martina. He praised Curaçao’s strong performance in the World Cup qualifiers and expressed interest in attending one of the team’s matches later this year during the next round of play. 

Martina, in turn, thanked Infantino and FIFA officials Mattias Graffström, Elkhan Mammadov, and Jair Bertoni for their continued support of Curaçao’s football development following the federation’s leadership transition on April 10.