Sixteen teams in the Georgetown Football Association (GFA) will contest this year’s 4th‘Banks Beer Cup’ where the winner will walk away with $3M when the event kicks off on Friday December 5 and concludes on New Year’s Day (January 1).

At the simple but yet significant launching yesterday held at Banks DIH Thirst Park location, eyebrows were raised when the announcement was made with regards to the prize money which will make the tournament the most lucrative ever held in Guyana.

Alpha United, Santos FC, Pele FC, Sunburst Camptown, Riddim Squad FC, Houston Stars FC, Black Pearl FC, Flamingo FC, Black Water FC, Georgetown Football Club (GFC), Guyana Defence Force (GDF), Guyana Police Force (GPF), Western Tigers FC, Fruta Conquerors FC, Northern Rangers FC and Beacons FC are the competing teams.

The teams will be placed into three Groups:

Group A: Northern Rangers, GPF, Black Water FC and Alpha United.
Group B: Western Tigers, GFC, Houston Stars and Western Tigers.
Group C: Sunburst Camptown FC, Beacon FC, Riddim Squad and Santos.
Group D: Pele FC, Black Pearl, Flamingo and GFC.

After an official opening ceremony on Friday, Guyana’s top club Alpha ‘the Hammer’ United’ will square off with Black Water FC from 19:00 hrs, and the Guyana Police Force (GPF) meets Northern Rangers in what is expected to be a thriller.

It was noted, that after the completion of the ‘Group stage’, the top two teams from the respective groups will advance to the knock-out stage.

Meanwhile, according to President of the GFA Major Vernon Burnett who said that, while the tournament in its present form only caters for the teams affiliated to his association, there’s still an avenue which will allow other associations affiliated with the Guyana Football Federation (GFF) to participate, just like the previous years.

Burnett told the gathering of football officials, sponsors and members of the press that presently, the GFA is in discussions with his other affiliated member associations, stating “We have afforded the other member associations the opportunity to be a part of the Cup which we have done in the earlier editions.
We don’t want to leave them out.”

Banks Beer Brand Manager Brian Choo-Hen expressed his company’s delight at being the tournament’s named sponsor and further said that they are anxious to see what this year’s competition will hold, since, the prize money has enhanced tremendously.

The second place team this year will pocket $1.5M, third place $1M and fourth place $500,000.

Prizes will be awarded to the player adjudged the Most Valuable (MVP), highest goal scorer and the best goal keeper.