Following the battle to find a suitable ground and the challenges clubs in Linden face in preparation for it, the Upper Demerara Football Association (UDFA) will, on Sunday, kick start its senior football tournament dubbed ‘the Road to Elite Championships.’

The tournament is aimed at arriving at a representative club to play in the Guyana Football Federation’s (GFF) Elite League later this year.
Sunday’s tournament will commence with a double-header at the Wisburg Secondary School ground.

In the opening match which starts at 15.00hrs, Amelia’s Ward Panthers collide with Net Rockers while at 17.00hrs, the Blueberry Hill United side faces Eagles United.
President of the UDFA, Wainwright Bethune, told Chronicle Sport that this is an unprecedented situation facing the regional organiser GFF Member Association, where the main football playing facility in Linden is not available and other grounds are generally not up to standard. The Mackenzie Sports Club, where football is normally held, is currently under modernization and is not available.

In light of this, the organisers decided on a four-group round robin format involving three clubs each, with the top club advancing to the semi-finals and then a final.
Two more matches will be played next Friday when Silver Shattas meet Aroiama in game one and Capital FC matches skills with Botafago in the second at the Wisburg Secondary School ground also.

All the matches in the round robin play will have a straight penalty shootout format after regulation play to determine a winner, if a stalemate result occurs after 90 minutes.
Group A has Hi Stars, Silver Shattas and Aroiama; Group B Eagles United, Coomacka and Blueberry Hill United; Group C comprises Amelia’s Ward, Net Rockers and Topp XX and Group D has Capital FC, Winners Connection and Botafago.