‘Overwhelming response’ forces rescheduling of fifth ExxonMobil U-14 School Football

The Petra Organisation has announced a one-week postponement to the highly anticipated fifth edition of the ExxonMobil Under-14 Schools Football tournament.

This decision comes amidst an “overwhelming response” from teams across Guyana.

Initially slated for a May 18th start, the tournament will now kick off on May 25th at the Ministry of Education Ground.

This delay allows for the organisation of preliminary matches this coming weekend, ensuring all participating teams can compete.

Co-Director Troy Mendonca of the Petra Organisation addressed participating teams on Tuesday, explaining, “We were forced to push back the tournament due to the overwhelming response.”

This year’s edition boasts a significant increase in participation, with a total of 56 teams registered – eight more than last year.

This growth reflects the tournament’s success in fostering youth development and unearthing new talent across Guyana’s eight participating administrative regions.

The format will see 32 boys’ teams and 24 girls’ teams battle it out in a round-robin knockout stage.

After the top eight teams emerge from each division, the competition will transition to a non-elimination format, maximizing playing opportunities for all finalists.

The cash prizes, which go towards school grants, are $400,000 (first), $200,000 (second), $100,000 (third), and $75,000 (fourth), along with individual accolades.

Additionally, the Most Valuable Players (MVP) for both boys and girls will receive a year’s supply of school supplies courtesy of the Petra Organisation.

The reigning champions, the Bartica boys and the Waramuri Top girls, will be looking to defend their titles this year, but they’ll face stiff competition from a wider pool of talented young footballers.