Published: Thursday, February 16, 2012
Shaun Fuentes
The Trinidad and Tobago Pro League has been rated as the tenth best in the CONCACAF region, according to the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS). The publication revealed on the weekend that the Costa Rican League is now the second strongest in the CONCACAF behind Mexico and ahead of third placed United States (MLS). It was also revealed that the Jamaican League is now ranked higher than T&T, in ninth spot. The T&T Pro League is ahead of Haiti, Suriname and Cuba in that order. Behind the top three leagues are those of Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Panama, Nicaragua, Jamaica and T&T in that order. According to the IFFHS, each year the strongest League in the World is determined from the top five clubs of each country which scored the highest in the Club World Ranking during that calendar year.
Since 1991 this ranking has been determined from the results of matches played at the national championships and FA cups as well as at international club competitions of the six continental Confederations and FIFA. The Spanish League is currently ranked number one followed by the English Premiership. The Pro League, first launched in 1999 when defending champions Defence Force took the League title, continues to be an avenue for some of the best local players to earn an honest living through the sport and has produced players that have not just played for the T&T national team but several other national teams including Guyana, Antigua/Barbuda, Jamaica, Grenada, St Lucia and others. It also created opportunities for players from T&T, Antigua and Brazil to secure contracts to play in foreign Leagues.
