‘Channels Kids Cup now NFF protected tourney’
The Head of Sports, Channels Television, Austin Okon Akpan, on Tuesday said that the annual Channels Kids Cup was now a Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) protected tournament.
Akpan said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) after the Lagos State draws for the participating teams at the Channels Television Complex, Isheri, Ogun State.
The competition, now in its 8th edition, will feature 32 teams from primary schools and would be played on a knockout basis.
The teams are placed in Group A, B, C and D and the schools will be playing at the Onikan Stadium and Campos Square Stadium all on the Lagos Island.
On the readiness and organisation of the tournament, Akpan said that the Local Organising Committee (LOC) and Eko Football, sports outfit, were working in partnership, adding that NFF had also lent its support.
“For this year’s competition, we will try to improve on the previous editions; we will also continue our campaign which is zero tolerance for age cheating.
“It is a good place to start the fight against age cheating.
“The competition now has the endorsement of NFF; it is now an NFF protected tournament.
“So it is for us to ensure that the competition gets better and moves to the next level,” Akpan said.
“Ultimately, the NFF has assured us that the `best 11’ from the competition will travel abroad on a training tour.
“It will be a very good avenue for the kids to be exposed to good training facilities and also to mix with their counterparts overseas.
“This competition is to make the pupils better sportspersons, to understand the basics of playing football, and we believe that if schools work with us, it is a right model to develop budding talents,” he said.
On expectations from schools, Akpan said that the technicalities had been taken up by Eko Football and that he expected the schools to abide by the rules.
Akpan disclosed that there would be no prize money as it was aimed at discouraging winning at all cost and desperation.
