The Ghana Football Association (GFA), in partnership with the KGL Foundation, on Friday launched the sixth edition of the U-17 Inter-Regional Colts Championship.
A total of 12 teams will battle for honours at the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence in Prampram.
The tournament, which started yesterday and is expected to run through to October 11, will bring together the best U-17 talents from across Ghana’s 10 regions, and two GFA Elite Academies from Bolgatanga and Kumasi.
Speaking at the launch, the Director of the KGL Foundation, Mr Christian Salamouni, announced a $200,000 commitment over the next two years to support juvenile football development through its partnership with the GFA.
He expressed his outfit’s commitment to youth development through sports by creating a platform for identifying and developing emerging football talent across the country.
On behalf of the KGL Foundation, Mr Salamouni presented 640 jerseys (32 home and 32 away kits with shorts), 300 size 5 footballs, 640 pairs of football socks, 50 sets of training markers, and 96 medals (32 gold, 32 silver and 32 bronze) to the GFA for the championship.
He also presented the various trophies and medals for the overall winner, first and second runners-up, as well as awards for the best goalkeeper, top scorer and the tournament’s best player.
Mr Salamouni revealed that this year’s championship will also have an educational component, with the Foundation set to provide scholarships to some of the standout players from the tournament.
Receiving the items, the President of the GFA, Mr Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku, thanked the Foundation for its continued investment in grassroots football.
He noted that the partnership had already helped produce players who have gone on to represent Ghana at the youth national team levels and domestic clubs.
Participating teams have been divided into two groups of six.
Greater Accra face competition from Northern, Central, Volta, Upper East Regions as well as Prempeh College-based Elite Academy in Group A.
Defending champions Ashanti Region headline Group B alongside Western, Brong Ahafo, Eastern, Upper West and the Bolgatanga-based Elite Academy.
BY RAYMOND ACKUMEY
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