The West Demerara Football Association (WDFA) will stage the inaugural edition of the Commander Cup on March 5th at the National Track and Field Centre, Leonora.
This was confirmed by WDFA secretary Adrian Giddings during a brief comment with Stabroek Sport yesterday.
According to Giddings, the tournament, which will utilize a direct elimination format is being staged to raise awareness of the blight of crime and to give the players a meaningful avenue to channel their abilities so they can remain active and stay away from illicit activities. He explained, “The tournament was conceptualized by the association and Region #3 division to raise awareness about crime and to give the players something meaningful to do with their time so that they won’t be involved in any illicit or unwanted activities. This is the first edition of the tournament and we are aiming to make it an annual affair.”
The tournament will last for the duration of four nights and will feature 10 teams. The first night which is scheduled for March 5th will feature a playoff round with the four lowest-ranked teams in the jurisdiction. They are Belle West, Wales, No. #1 All-Stars and Region #3 Police, who will compete for the two remaining berths to the quarterfinal section.
Belle West will oppose No. #1 All-Stars while Wales will take aim at Region #3 Police. Meanwhile, the six teams that have sealed automatic qualification are Slingerz, Den Amstel, Pouderoyen, Uitvlugt, Crane, and Eagles. The playing dates for the main draw of the tournament are March 10th [Quarter-final], 12th [Quarter-final], 18th [Semi-final], and 25th [Final].
All the matches will be staged at the National Track and Field Centre, Leonora The winner of the tournament will pocket $500,000 and the championship trophy, whilst the runner-up will receive $250,000 and the corresponding accolade. The third and fourth-place finishers will receive $150,000 and $100,000 respectively and the corresponding trophy.
