The Seventh Annual Mashramani Street Football Championship kicks off tonight on the Tarmac of the Mocha Community Centre Ground with 16 teams starting their journey for the coveted top prize in one of the country’s premier ‘small goal’ football tournaments.
Showstoppers will get the ball rolling from 7:30pm against Stevedore Ballers. ‘Touches’ will play Albouystown in the next game while Laing Avenue faces East Bank side, Agricola and Middle Road battles Broad Street to get what is expected to be an action-packed night to the halfway point.
Spaniards will play formidable opponents Ztekk while Sure Pay comes up against Bragging Rights and Goal is Money takes on Mocha-based side, Red Force. The home team Family will bring the curtains down on the night against the recently concluded Georgetown vs The Rest Final Four unit, Festival City.
In a press release yesterday, hosts of the event, Sports Management Inc. (SMI) disclosed plans to host the 2025 version of the competition. The organisation said that it is forced to include preliminary rounds in communities before the grand finals on February 15 at the National Park.
“We have 32 of the best street football teams going head to head in a knockout clash. This is simple, you have to win to advance. It’s win or go home, as a result we expect these games to be very intense because there is no second chances,” the SMI release said.
The First Round continues tomorrow at the same venue and Wednesday Night for the Round-of-16 before shifting to the National Park on February 8 for the Quarterfinals and February 15 for the Semi-Finals and Finals. Stabroek Ballers are the defending champions in the tournament.
The winner will pocket $500,000, second place $300,000, third place $200,000 and fourth place $100,000. Trophies will be given to teams placing first to third while the Most Valuable Player (MVP) of the tournament gets $50,000 and a trophy.
