ALPHA United’s participation in the Caribbean Football Union (CFU) Club championship takes priority over involvement in any local tournament hence the club’s recent withdrawal from the Mayor’s Cup competition.

This was disclosed by club president Odinga Lumumba who declared that at present Alpha United cannot be a part of both competitions.
“We can’t do both competitions. Our priority then would be to represent Guyana so we have opted to play in the CFU tournament,” Lumumba said.
The club has written to Mayor’s Cup organiser Lennox Arthur, the Guyana Football Federation and the Georgetown Football Association advising of the withdrawal. The CFU competition is scheduled for March.
“At this stage the CFU tournament is much more important than the Mayor’s Cup. I think that in Guyana there needs to be better organising and scheduling of tournament dates. There is no structure,” Lumumba stated.
Last year Alpha United topped Group Three of the CFU competition allowing them a place in the CONCACAF Club Championship.
Guyana’s leading club was one of 24 teams invited to participate in the Mayor’s Cup which started in 1981. This year’s competition will mark the 80th birth anniversary of Georgetown’s Mayor Hamilton Green. It is not yet known how the withdrawal would affect the local tournament.
The Mayor’s Cup will see teams compete from January 31 to February 22 for a first prize of $1M. The team placing second is guaranteed $300 000 while third- and fourth-place finishers will receive $200 000 and $100 000 respectively.
Fruta Conquerors have won the title four times while Sunburst Camptown took away the crown thrice. Alpha United, Pele, Victoria Kings, Western Tigers, Police, GDF, Thomas United and Slingerz are the other teams to have won the competition.