Barbados will feature alongside some of the Caribbean’s premier secondary school teams when Guyana hosts the seventh edition of the KFC Goodwill International football tournament this December.
The Barbadian contingent joins an expanded eight-team line-up in Georgetown, where host side and defending champions Chase’s Academic Foundation will put their title on the line against top-tier regional opposition.
Trinidad and Tobago SSFL champions Naparima College and Jamaica’s ISSA Olivier Shield winners Excelsior High head an impressive visiting roster. Representing Suriname, Barbados, traditional football powerhouses Brazil, and two further Guyanese sides, the competition promises a fierce battle for regional supremacy.
Petra Organisation co-director Troy Mendonca highlighted the significance of the growing international field.
“This competition is one of our marquee events, bringing together the absolute best in schoolboy football across the region,” Mendonca said. “It is designed not only to give these young players high-level exposure but to provide an outstanding showcase for every spectator who turns out.”
The tournament kicks off on Sunday, 13 December and runs through to the final on Sunday, 20 December. Matches will be staged across two Georgetown venues—the Queen’s College Ground and the Ministry of Education Ground.
The eight teams will be split into two groups of four for a round-robin stage, with each team playing their group rivals once. The top two teams from each pool will progress directly to the semi-finals. Off the pitch, players will also participate in a dedicated Cultural Exchange night scheduled for Monday, 14 December.
Oronde Chase, speaking on behalf of defending champions Chase’s Academic Foundation, welcomed the step-up in competition provided by the incoming island sides.
“I would like to welcome all the visiting teams to Guyana, but we know what is required to stay on top,” Chase stated. “With quality sides coming in from Jamaica, Trinidad, and Barbados, the level will be extremely high, but we are determined to defend our crown and make this another memorable December.”
Petra Organisation representative Troy Peters underlined the commercial backing that keeps the tournament expanding year after year.
“KFC’s investment goes far beyond putting on a week of football,” Peters noted. “It provides a vital framework for young athletes to test themselves against international standards, develop discipline, and grow both as players and individuals.”
Source: NEW ROOMS SITE
