Eight teams will vie for a $25,000 prize when the third annual Guinness Street Football Challenge takes place on Saturday at Jean Pierre Complex, Port of Spain.
The winners of the preliminary competition from each of the six venues, along with the top two second place teams, have moved forward to the finals.
Competing in Saturday’s finals are group winners Drifterz Answer Back (Tobago), Skillz that Killz (South Zone), Junior Mafia (East Zone), Chelsea (Central Zone), Foundation (Central Zone runners-up) and Hills Have Eyes (North East Zone), along with runners up Untouchables (North East Zone) and Basic (North West Zone).
Kick-off for the finals is at 5 p.m., and the night will close off with entertainment by Blaxx and Prophet Benjamin. Entry is free to all.
The overall winners will receive $25,000 and the chance to represent Trinidad and Tobago at the regional finals in St Vincent from June 20 to 22. There they will face teams from Antigua, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, St Kitts, St Lucia and St Vincent, who produced last year’s championship team. The second placed team will receive $10,000; and the third place winning team will get $5,000.
This year, over 70 teams registered to compete, but only the champs will enjoy the all-expenses-paid trip to St Vincent, with accommodation at the five-star luxury hotel Buccament Bay.
Apart from the traditional football challenge, 2013 saw the addition of a Skills Challenge, where individuals with the best football juggling skills will also vie to be a champion in St Vincent.
Melicia Wilson-Aquing, Guinness marketing manager, said the search for the top team in T&T will be keenly contested on Saturday.
“This year, four out of the eight finalists competed in the 2012 finals of the tournament, so each of these teams know what to look for in their opponents, and are not taking for granted the level of competitiveness that they will face come this Saturday.”
Sponsors Guinness have also announced Dutch football legend Ruud Gullit’s involvement as mentor and motivator to the competing teams at the 2013 Guinness Street Football Challenge finals in St Vincent.