Coordinated by the Kashif and Shanghai Organization, 48 teams will battle for a top prize of $2M in the ‘June Madness’ Futsal Championship that kicks off June 3rd at the Cliff Anderson Sports Hall.

The tournament, launched on Saturday, will be a straight knockout tournament, with the top 16 teams from their previous championship drawing a bye to the second round.

At the launch, Co-Director of the organising body, Kashif Muhammad, indicated that the tournament, which is backed by the Ministry of Culture, Youth, and Sport, is another opportunity for players to showcase their talent in a structured tournament, stay healthy, and also earn a living from the sport they love.

Apart from the opening night and the last three match nights, the other days will see action at the National Gymnasium.

The tournament is scheduled to conclude on June 28, with matches taking place on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays during the period.

The runner-up team will pocket $1M, third ($500,000), and fourth ($250,000), along with various prizes for top individual performances.

Meanwhile, Muhammad noted that while final approval has not yet come from the Guyana Football Federation, they are working to reach the modalities outlined by the GFF and are confident it will be given before the tournament commences.

Many of the top futsal teams in the country are expected to contest the tournament.

Meanwhile, Muhammad noted that the long-term vision is to return to an international tournament where top teams from the Caribbean, Suriname, and Brazil come to face Guyana’s best.