Roman Abramovich and Caribbean Football Union plan tournament on Saint-Barthélemy

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is working with the Caribbean Football Union in order to fund an international tournament on Saint-Barthélemy in June.

Funded..the stadium Abromovich paid for in Saint-Jean

Fellow non-FIFA teams Sint Maarten and neighbouring Saint-Martin have expressed interest in playing along with a handful of FIFA members with the event set to be coordinated by the Caribbean Football Union.

Abramovich has property on the picturesque French overseas collectivity and after meeting the local government and football association agreed to pay for a tournament to take place during the first week of June.

The world’s 50^th richest man has already financed the building of a stadium and resort for guest teams in Saint-Jean, in the north of the island, which allowed the Saint-Barthélemy national team play a first-ever home game in 2012 against Guadeloupe.

Abramovich paid for a similar tournament for clubs last year and also helps provide coaches to develop football on island, which is home to just over 9,000 people. New non-FIFA organisation ConIFA have expressed plans to provide online coverage, in tandem with the CFU, of the tournament.