– hints at simultaneous Men’s Club Championship
The Guyana Football Federation (GFF), in partnership with the National Milling Company (NAMILCO), launched the ‘Maid Marian Wheat Up’ Women’s Football Championship yesterday at the latter’s Agricola headquarters.
The event, which is slated to commence on November 30th and feature a seven-a-side structure, will conclude on January 4th, 2025. It will be staged at the Parade Ground, with each match lasting 60 minutes in duration. The winner will receive $500,000 and the championship trophy, while the runner-up and third-place finisher will pocket $200,000 and $100,000, respectively, and the corresponding accolade.
GFF President Wayne Forde said, “We’re thrilled to open this new chapter together, one which we aim to make an annual event that will continue to grow and include more teams in the coming years.
This year, the ‘Maid Marian Wheat Up’ Women’s Cup will take place at the historic Parade Ground in Georgetown. We’re grateful to the Mayor and City Council of Georgetown for allowing us to use this iconic venue, where we have already begun upgrading the facilities… Our goal is to re-establish Parade Ground as a key venue for grassroots football, reviving the vibrant football spirit that once defined that space.”
He further said, “For the second time, our women will share the end-of-year platform traditionally dominated by men, with the opportunity to showcase their talent and passion for the game on an equal stage,” Forde disclosed, hinting at the GFF’s intention of staging a men’s club championship.
Meanwhile, NAMILCO’s Finance Controller Fitzroy McLeod said, “As is the case in many jurisdictions, women’s football in Guyana often plays second fiddle to the male version of the beautiful game. It is therefore more negatively impacted by resource limitations of all sorts, and despite this and other challenges, the Lady Jaguars continue to make Guyana proud. What is urgently needed is more developmental opportunities for our future stars and more exposure so that they can put on show their significant skills. Now, during this festive season, NAMILCO is pleased to spearhead this process through its Maid Marian brand of fine flours.”
