Guinness Street football kicks off Saturday

– 32 teams to contest Georgetown leg

By Avenash Ramzan

Banks DIH Limited, through its Guinness brand, launched the fourth annual Guinness Greatest in the Streets football competition and action is set to start on Saturday. The tournament was of- ficially launched on Wednesday in Banks DIH’s Conference room, where representatives of the company and the Guinness brand were on hand to update local media operatives on plans for the event.
The launch was for the Georgetown leg of the competition, with the Linden, Bartica and Berbice zones set to come on stream soon.
While the competition was staged in Georgetown and Linden before, this is the first time that it will be taken to Bartica and Berbice, making it a “national” tournament, according to Sales and Marketing Manager of Banks DIH Limited, Carlton Joao.
The top teams from each of the four zones will move forward to a national playoff next year, with the champion earning the right to become Guyana’s representative at the Guinness Caribbean Street Challenge next year.
The Georgetown leg will see 32 teams battling for supremacy, including defending champions Back Circle. Matches will start at 18: 00 hours on playing days with action slated for the Albouystown Tarmac, National Cultural Centre Tarmac, East Ruimveldt Tarmac, Sophia Exhibition Centre, Burnham Court, Banks DIH Parking Lot and the final on December 8 at the National Park Tarmac.
Joao, in the delivering the keynote address at the launch, said the tournament has been able to connect with fans, and for this reason, it has been a success.
“The success of the Guinness Greatest in the Street is immeasurable. The connection that we’ve had with our fan base and football at the grassroots level has been remarkable, and the support from the crowd in the communities in which we have played has been nothing short of phenomenal,” Joao said.
He added that security will be beefed up at the venues to ensure that players and patrons alike are accommodated in a safe environment.
“We have reviewed the security protocols, and we’ve had discussions with everyone concerned and there are certain things that are going to be changed. One of the issues here is that is a very open environment and we’ve recognised that, and that is why we’re asking that communities to be on the alert. But there will be significant security in place,” Joao related.
Over two million dollars in prizes will be at stake with the champion team receiving Gy$ 600,000, second Gy$ 300,000, third Gy$ 150,000 and fourth Gy$ 75,000. The group stage winners will also be rewarded with cash incentives. Fans also stand to benefit through novelty games that will be played during the tournament.
The official opening of the tournament will take place on Saturday evening at the Albouystown Tarmac with Sport Minister, Dr. Frank Anthony, set to kick off the tournament.