WITH just over three weeks to go before the deadline date of Monday 20th August, registration for the 4th edition of the Corporate Futsal Warfare is moving quite nicely, according to the organizers Timeout Entertainment.
The event will kick off on Saturday 8th September at the Beausejour Indoor Practice Facility.
Just before press time yesterday, the following teams representing the various private and public business establishments have registered for the showpiece: Beachcomber, Bel Jou, DBC, Fire Service, Digicel, Flow, KM2 Solutions, LUCELEC, Ministry of Infrastructure, SLASPA, PCD, Police, St. James Club, Saint Lucia Teachers Union, Saint Lucia Teachers Cooperative Credit Union, WASCO, Ministry of Public Service, Windjammer and Bankers Association.
Compared to last year’s format where 24 teams participated in the tournament the organizers have decided to include a further eight teams, bringing the number to 32 which will be eligible to compete.
Lionel John, Director /co-founder for Timeout Entertainment said, “I am pretty satisfied with the progress been made thus far in the amount of teams registered. As we speak a further four have indicated their interest. It’s our fourth year and every edition we look to up the bar a few notches and this year is no exception”.
The tournament has grown by leap and bounds; the quality of play exhibited at the BIPF by the various teams have improved immensely. The crowd support has been good and one expects to see it double this year”. John noted.
John said, “There will be a Knockout Qualifier/Playoff and a Round of 16. Lot more football for both the participating teams and their various supporters coming in to take in the action at the BIPF. Based on that format we can have two finals this year and two champions. One for the Knockout and the other for the Group Stage”.
In the knockout /qualifiers, teams will be drawn against each other and the first 16 teams will automatically qualify for the round of 16. These teams will also compete in the knockout phase until there is a winner.
In the knockout/ playoffs, , the first 16 teams to have lost from the qualifying stage will be brought back and drawn against each other to qualify for the round of 24.
What makes it even more interesting, according to John, the eight winning teams of the playoff games will qualify for the round of 24, while the eight losing teams will exit the tournament.
Things will start to heat up in the Round of 24 where the teams will be placed in eight groups (A-H), the top two teams will then move to the round of 16, quarter finals, semifinals and finals.
The team composition will include a maximum of 15 players, a manager and coach.
John said, “Players must be employees, (permanent/temporary) or long term contractors of the company they represent. In the event a registered player has left the company during the course of the tournament he will no longer be allowed to play for the company or any other in this year’s tournament”.
The wining team will receive the championship trophy, 20 gold medals and $3000, the losing finalist, the second place trophy, 20 silver medals and $1500, the 3rd place finisher will receive a trophy, 20 silver medals and $1000.
In addition, the player with the Most Goals – a trophy and $300, MVP of the Finals, a trophy and $300, Golden Glove, a trophy and $300.
The previous winners of the tournament are – Saint Lucia Air and Seaport Authority (SLASPA – 2015), Saint Lucia Teachers Union (SLTU – 2016) and Peter and Company Distribution (PCD -2017).
