Guinness Street Football finals at Jean Pierre Complex
EIGHT REGIONAL teams will vie for the title of the “Guinness Street Football Challenge Champion”, as the two-day regional finals will take place on Friday and Saturday at the Jean Pierre Complex, Mucurapo.
The finals will see teams from Antigua/Barbuda, Dominica, Guyana, Jamaica, St Kitts/Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent/Grenadines, along with the host nation and defending regional champions Trinidad and Tobago battling for the grand title.
The competition will kick-off at 6 pm on both days with entertainment from Iwer George on Friday — which will be hosted by Ryan “Chinee” Shing Hon. Saturday’s session will be hosted by Kwesi “Hypa Hoppa” Hopkinson, while dancehall superstar Beenie Man, and local singer Prophet Benjamin will bring down the curtains in grand Caribbean style.
Football fans will be able to enter free on Friday night and will only pay $60 for the grand finals on Saturday night.
Melicia Wilson-Aquing, Guinness Country Manager for Trinidad and Tobago, said the finals are designed to ensure that football fans enjoy the best talent that regional football has to offer and great entertainment in the keenly contested finals.
The “Guinness Street Football Challenge Champion” will receive US$4,000, plus a FIFA-sanctioned coaching course for all team members. The second place team will receive US$2,000 and the third place team will be awarded US$1,000.
This year, hundreds of teams across the region registered to compete in the fantastic football championship.
Gareth Geddes, Guinness Sales and Marketing Manager for the Caribbean and Central America said, “the Guinness Street Football Challenge provides football fans with a second chance of fulfilling their dreams to become an international footballer.
“The championship gives players that platform to showcase their skills and inspire communities to be the best that they can be. We will even have Sportsmax filming the activities on both days, so that players can get the opportunity to see themselves on television across the region.”
Apart from the traditional football challenge, football fans will be able to enjoy the “Regional Skills Challenge”, where individuals from across the Caribbean will be vying for the title of “Best Football Skills Champion”.
Wilson-Aquing said the search for the top skills champion will drive the interest of football lovers as they watch the live finals.
“The skills challenge will showcase eight highly skilled finalists from across the Caribbean who are very competitive,” she said. “We expect that they’ll deliver great entertainment for the football fans. To make this challenge even more exciting, we have invited world-renowned football skills specialist Collin Nell to judge the challenge and former (Jamaica) international footballer Robbie Earle who will make a special guest appearance during the two-day championship.
“I invite fans to follow us on Facebook at Guinness Caribbean for live updates of the epic finals and please remember to drink responsibly,” she ended.