THE inaugural edition of the Bent Street ‘Champion of Champions’ Futsal Championship was launched yesterday at the New Look Salon in North East La Penitence.
The event, which will last for the duration of six dates, will feature 16 teams competing in an initial group stage format.

Group A comprises Bent Street A, Stabroek Ballers, Z-Tekk Family, and Mocha, while group B contains Back Circle A, North East La Penitence, Street Vybz, and Bent Street B. On the other hand, group C is made up of Gold is Money, Linden All-Stars, Laing Avenue, and California Square, while group D consists of Sparta Boss, North Ruimveldt, Team Cruel, and Back Circle B.

After the conclusion of the group stage segment, the top two teams in each pool will progress to the quarterfinal round. The playing dates are: October 15th, 19th, 25th, November 2nd, 9th, and 16th.
The winner of the event will pocket $1,000,000 and the championship trophy, while the second, third, and fourth-place finishers will receive $500,000, $300,000, and $200,000 and the corresponding accolade, respectively. On the individual side, prizes will also be given to the highest goal scorer, most valuable player, best defender, and goalkeeper, respectively.

Tournament Coordinator Troy Lambert, during the feature address thanked the sponsors and the GFF for making this event a reality, noting, “It’s a tournament that we have been planning for a long time, and we want it to be an annual affair and something that the teams can look forward to at this time, which we want to make our own.”

He further said, “We wanted a very competitive tournament, and that is why we chose to have 16 teams so that we can get that competitive event. Every game is a tough game. We will also incorporate a U-15 youth tournament from the knockout round that will run at the same time as the main event. We are asking the teams and the fans to come out and support the event.”

Wayne Griffith, Referees Coordinator of the tournament, said, “It’s a good look for football; it’s good to see a street team and community come out and host their own event. This is going to be an exciting tournament.”
Daniel Wilson, Captain of Bent Street, said, “This is a good look for the teams that they are hosting their own events; we have been planning this for years, and I expect it to be very competitive as we have 16 of the best teams in the country, and the fans should come because it will be very exciting.”

Meanwhile, his Back Circle counterpart Selwyn Williams said, “It’s a privilege to be here, as one of the best teams in the country. This tournament is going to be very exciting and competitive, as it will have the best teams. There will be good football and officiating, and if you are coming to take the title from Back Circle, you will need to train and prepare very hard.”

Complete Fixtures and Group Assignments
Group A
Bent Street A
Stabroek Ballerz
Z-Tekk Family
Mocha
Group B
Back Circle A
North East La Penitence
Street Vybz
Bent Street B
Group C
Gold is Money
Linden All-Stars
Laing Avenue
California Square
Group D
Sparta Boss
North Ruimveldt
Team Cruel
Back Circle B
Day 1 Group
19:00hrs: Stabroek Ballers vs Mocha
19:30hrs: North Ruimveldt vs Team Cruel
20:00hrs: Linden All-Stars vs California Square
20:30hrs: North East La Penitence vs Street Vybz
21:00hrs: Gold is Money vs Laing Avenue
21:30hrs: Sparta Boss vs Back Circle B
22:00hrs: Back Circle A vs Bent Street B
21:30hrs: Bent Street A vs Z-Tekk Family
Day 2 Group
19:00hrs: Back Circle B vs Team Cruel
19:30hrs: Mocha vs Z-Tekk Family
20:00hrs: Laing Avenue vs California Square
20:30hrs: North East La Penitence vs Bent Street B
21:00hrs: Back Circle A vs Street Vybz
21:30hrs: Gold is Money vs Linden All-Stars
22:00hrs: Sparta Boss vs North Ruimveldt
22:30hrs: Bent Street A vs Stabroek Ballers
Day 3 Group Stage
19:00hrs: Street Vybz vs Bent Street B
19:30hrs: Back Circle B vs North Ruimveldt
20:00hrs: Stabroek Ballers vs Z-Tekk Family
20:30hrs: Linden All-Stars vs Laing Avenue
21:00hrs: Mocha vs Bent Street A
21:30hrs: Sparta Boss vs Team Cruel
22:00hrs: Gold is Money vs California Square
22:30hrs: North East La Penitence vs Back Circle A
Day 4 Quarterfinals
(1): Winner A vs Runner-up C
(2): Winner C vs Runner-up A
(3): Winner B vs Runner-up D
(4): Winner D vs Runner-up B
Day 5 Semifinals
(5): Winner (1) vs Winner (2)
(6): Winner (3) vs Winner (4)
Day 6
3rd Place
(7): Loser (5) vs Loser (6)
Final
(8): Winner (5) vs Winner (6)