Guyana Football Federation (GFF) Technical Director Bryan Joseph has confirmed that preparations have been finalised for the July 16 kick off of the inaugural Youth Academy Cup, which will feature two local teams facing off against visiting academies from Trinidad and Tobago.
Guyana’s Jaguar and Panther teams will compete against Trinidad and Tobago’s Point Fortin Youth Football Academy and Tinto Sporting Academy in the six-day Under-16 boys’ tournament at the GFF’s National Training Centre in Providence, East Bank Demerara.
Tinto’s Sporting Academy touched down in Guyana on June 15, while the Point Fortin Youth Football Academy is expected to arrive on the morning of the tournament’s first day.
Bryan Joseph shared that the GFF is “delighted to launch this initiative with our Caribbean neighbour Trinidad and Tobago and expect to see high-quality football from the future stars of both countries,” noting the visiting squads’ eagerness to test their Guyanese counterparts.
“Central to the Federation’s football development strategy are grassroots programmes and our ongoing efforts to provide young talents with a national platform to showcase their abilities.”
The local teams consist of players chosen from the Academy Training Centre (ATC) programme and the Under-16 National Team.
They have been undergoing training under the guidance of Head Coaches Selwyn Isaacs (Guyana Jaguar) and Trevon Lythcott (Guyana Panther).
A total of eight games are scheduled, promising fans an intense and competitive tournament spanning six days.
Opening day will see Guyana Jaguar facing Guyana Panther from 16:00h, followed by Point Fortin Youth Football Academy going up against Tinto’s Sporting Academy from 18:00h.
GFF President Wayne Forde extended his best wishes to the teams and urged the football community to rally behind our emerging talents.
“This is an opportunity for football fans to witness the quality of players developed through our grassroots programme, who are always ready to proudly represent Guyana on local, regional and international stages. Based on the competitive spirit and dedication of these players, you will not be disappointed.”
The competition will feature a Round Robin stage followed by a Knockout Phase. Each team will play against the others, with three points awarded for a win, one point for a draw, and none for a loss.
Matches will consist of two 40-minute halves separated by a 15-minute half-time interval, totalling eighty minutes. The top two teams will advance to the final, while the third and fourth-placed teams will contest for their respective positions.
