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David GOMBE
The third edition of the Hamz Cup Tournament was on Tuesday, 26th May officially launched at Hamz Stadium in Nakivubo with the organizers promising a better event.
The tournament is always held after the competitive football season annually with the winners walking away with bigger prizes.
“The idea of this tournament was initiated by Dr. Kiggundu Hamis aimed at promoting talented youths as well as away of giving back to the community.” Said Ashraf Turyatunga, Stadium Manager, Hamz Stadium.
The championship will officially begin on June 6th with a double-header, that will attract night football as well. The opening fixture is slated for 4:00 PM with the late kickoff due at 7:00Pm under the lights of Nakivubo.
Players from the Uganda Premier League and Big League will not be eligible to participate in the Hamz Cup with all matches played at Hamz Stadium.
Each team will register 30 players with over 40 teams expected to take part. The tournament will run from June 6th to December this year.
Hakim Kasirye Assistant Manager of Hamz Stadium and Coordinator as well as Technical Head of the tournament anticipates a great tournament.
“We are glad that the Hamz Cup will be returning for the third edition and this time we have made better arrangements. We are hopeful that we shall have an organised football event that we expect the fans to enjoy as well.” Said Kasirye.
This year’s edition builds on the financial growth of the tournament, following a steady increase in prize money from UGX 50 million in the inaugural edition to UGX 100 million in the second.
The UGX100 million token will be distributed amongst the best performing teams and the outstanding players. The champions will smile with Shs30 million, while the runners-up will take home UGX 20 million.
The third- and fourth-placed teams will receive UGX 15 million and UGX 10 million respectively.
Teams finishing between fifth and eighth place will each secure UGX 5 million. In addition, individual accolades have been introduced to incentivize standout performances and fan engagement.
The team with the largest fan base will receive UGX 1 million, while awards for Most Valuable Player, top scorer, best goalkeeper, and best coach each carry cash prizes of UGX. 500,000.
Media recognition has also been factored in, with two outstanding practitioners set to share UGX 1 million.
