Eight schools set for battle as Republic Bank Under-18 Football League returns October 18 – News Room Guyana

The seventh edition of the Republic Bank Under-18 Secondary Schools’ Football League was officially launched at the bank’s New Market Street head office on Thursday, setting the stage for an intense seven-week battle for national supremacy and a golden ticket to December’s KFC International Goodwill Tournament.

Organised by the Petra Organisation, the single round-robin competition will see eight top institutions—Chase Academic Foundation, Santa Rosa Secondary, Three Miles Secondary, New Amsterdam Secondary, Annandale Secondary, Charlestown Secondary, West Ruimveldt Secondary, and St Joseph High School—compete every Sunday from October 18 to 29 November at the Ministry of Education Ground on Carifesta Avenue.

Defending champions Chase Academic Foundation, who completed a flawless campaign in 2025 with seven wins from seven, enter as firm favourites.

Because Chase have already qualified for December’s international showpiece as defending KFC champions, the available qualification spot will pass to the league runners-up should Chase retain their domestic title.

Republic Bank Guyana Managing Director Dr Toussant Boyce expressed immense pride in the bank’s continued sponsorship, highlighting the transformative power of grassroots competition for young athletes.

“So, when I say that this tournament showcases some of the finest young football talent across Guyana, it’s because I’ve seen it last year, and I look forward to seeing it again this year,” Dr Boyce shared. “So, we are proud as Republic Bank to once again support this initiative and to play a role in creating opportunities for you, our nation’s youth, both on and off the field.”

Addressing the competing players directly, Dr Boyce added: “Each of these teams, you’ve earned your place through hard work, commitment and determination, and over the coming weeks, you will not only compete for the championship, but you will also have the opportunity to represent Guyana on the international stage, and I can tell you that that should be a life-changing event for those of you who get the opportunity to make it.”

Petra Organisation Co-Director Troy Mendonca underscored the administrative and competitive value of a structured league system in developing top-tier talent capable of holding their own regionally.

“Any administrator will tell you that competition is a key aspect in administrating football, much less a league,” Mendonca explained.

“And to have a league, especially at youth level, is one of the best things to happen in any football arena. In fact, our defending champions for the past two years won our international tournament against teams from Jamaica, Trinidad, and, who knows, other countries, all of which are big on school football. And so, to have a company in Republic Bank supporting us once again, we want to give a big thank you.”

The tournament also received formal endorsements from government and education stakeholders. Representing the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport, Director of Youth Suresh Singh highlighted ongoing state investments in community infrastructure.

“We understand that we love our sports, and investment is taking place so that facilities at the community level can be readily available to you so that you can use them to develop your area, and the lights are there for you to use them in the evenings whenever necessary,” Singh stated. “So, we have to look holistically at what is the plan and how we can contribute towards the plan.”

Allied Arts Head Nicholas Fraser, speaking on behalf of the Education Ministry, emphasised the core character-building values inherent in competitive sports.

“There’s a lot going on for football in schools, and so, at this time, you would want to ensure that we continue to stick close to those principles we had when we began,” Fraser noted.

“The principles of fair play, discipline. These are important elements you can learn from sport, and we as a Ministry of Education understand they are very difficult to teach in front of a chalkboard. So, we encourage these sorts of competitions and activities with children, especially as it relates to sport, and if we are to do it correctly, we wholeheartedly endorse it.”

Beyond the coveted international qualification place, the competition offers significant financial rewards for school infrastructure.

The league champions will receive $400,000 toward a school project of their choice, with second, third, and fourth place earning $250,000, $125,000, and $75,000, respectively, for institutional development.

Source: NEW ROOMS SITE