Stage set for Linden Town Week Inter-Ward football kick-off on April 24

The long-awaited return of competitive football to the Bauxite Mining Town of Linden is set for Friday April 24 when the Linden Town Week Inter-Ward Tournament, organised by the Kashif and Shanghai Organisation M.S, in collaboration with the Upper Demerara Football Association (UDFA), kicks off.

Six wards placed in two groups of three each will be battling for two-million in cash and other prizes in the tournament that will be played over four days with support from the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport.

Friday’s opening will also see the contesting wards participating in the march pass and official opening ahead of the opening double-header at the Bayroc Stadium, which will be hosting its first competitive tournament since the official opening on January 31 this year.

Group A is made up of Amelia’s Ward/Kara Kara/Bamia, Central and South Mackenzie/Mines, and Half Mile/One Mile/Scheme, while Group B comprises Block 22/Wisroc, Blue Berry Hill/Christianburg /Alleys Valleys, Silvertown/West Watooka/Canvas City.

Each ward was presented with two footballs and a complete set of gear each to assist with uniformity ahead of the restart of on field play.

The UDFA will take responsibility for the uniforms following the conclusion of the tournament to be used as they see fit as they too regroup and refocus on the development of the sport.

The opening fixture will see  Half Mile/One Mile/Scheme tackling Central and South Mackenzie/Mines from 19:00h with the main attraction between Blue Berry Hill/Christianburg/Alleys Valleys and Silvertown/West Watooka/Canvas City from 21:30h.

Matches will continue on April 27 and 29 with the final on May 1.  The top team will win G$1M with the losing finalist pocketing G$400,000. Winner of the third-place match gets G$200,000 with fourth place collecting G$150,000.

The tournament format will see the teams competing within the groups with the respective group winners advancing to the final, while two second placed teams will contest the third-place match.