Defending Kashif and Shanghai champions Pele Football Club will begin its title defence against Santos when the 20th edition if the competition kicks off on December 13 at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.
The game will be witnessed by Brazilian great Edison Arantes do Nascimento, known to the rest of the world as Pele and the organisers have said that this is because of the impact that the player made on the two teams.
Pele made his professional debut for Santos when he was only 15-years-old.
Santos FC is one of Brazil’s more established and successful clubs.
Locally, Pele is the more successful of the two clubs having played in three Kashif and Shanghai finals.
The won the 2008/09 tournament with a 1-0 victory over Sunburst Camptown at the Guyana National Stadium on January 1 this year.
Santos, on the other hand, despite their tremendous promise are yet to feature in the final.
This year saw the team moving up to the Georgetown Football Association (GFA) Premier Division after placing second the first division league which was won by Riddim Squad.
Meanwhile, Grove-Hi Tech will make its maiden outing at the tournament against Milerock FC of Linden.
Milerock, the first winner of the tournament which started in 1990, won the title again in 1996 at the Mackenzie Sports Club (MSC) ground.
Last year’s losing finalist Camptown is drawn against Buxton United at the Enmore Community Centre ground on December 18 in the second game of the double header.
The curtain raiser will see Riddim Squad and Ann’s Grove going head-to-head.
The tournament’s most decorated team Bakewell Topp XX, and Netrockers, will clash in the opening game on December 19 at the MSC ground with Alpha ‘The Hammer’ United playing the winner between the Milerock/Grove Hi-Tech game.
Topp XX has played in seven finals, winning the final five times.
The Berbice teams will be on show on December 20 when the tournament heads to the Blairmont Community Centre with New Amsterdam United squaring off with 2001 winners Victoria Kings at 5:30 pm.
At 8:00 pm Rosignol United will play the winner between Riddim Squad and Anns Grove clash.
Guyana Defence Force (GDF) will play against the winner of the Sea Wall United and Rusal game on December 23 at the Georgetown Football Club (GFC) ground at 6:00 pm while BK International Western Tigers are down to play the winners of the Victoria Kings and N/A United game.
The quarter finals (December 26) will be played at the MSC ground in Linden while the other on Christmas Day is schedule for the National Stadium.
The semi-finals on December 28 and the Final on January 1 next year be contested at the Providence Stadium.
