Manby Fund bankrolls UYFL Inter-Cities football tournament

UK-based Manby Family Fund has boosted the Uganda Youth Football League Inter Cities U-17 Youth football tournament with a major cash boost of £3000 (sh13m).

The director of the fund Charles Manby made the offer ahead of the ten-day tournament that kicks off on Thursday and expected to attract over 200 players from across the country.

According to the director of the project Moses Kibirango, the funding is a timely offer for the second edition of the championship that rolls off with matches at the Kibuli Children School ground.

"We are going to use the money for the national championship that will be held from January 18-21 at Maroons Stadium Luzira. We shall accommodate the top 16 teams comprising of 18 players and two officials in the final round of the tournament which will also attract 40 youth football referees," Kibirango noted.

"There will be trophies and medals to the top teams and players in the tournament organised in partnership with local communities," Kibirango said.

In the finals, Kampala will parade five teams with the rest coming from the different Centers of Excellence. Hosts Maroons will field one team.

Former Arsenal youth player and now youth community coach Alex Manby (pictured below) has held different football clinics at the various centers ahead of the tournament.

The tournament kicks off with preliminary rounds at different centers of excellence ahead of the national championship 'champions league' in Kampala, January 15-20.

The centers of excellence where the matches will be played include Lubaga, Wankulukuku, Busega Lungujja and Kadiba grounds.

In Kawempe matches will take place at Kanyanya, Kawanda, Kinaawa and Nabweru while in Makindye games will take place at the Officers Mess, Kabalagala, Kibuli Chidren School, Nsambya, Kansanga and the KCCA ground.

Kyambogo College, Luzira Prison, Kigowa Primary School and Luzira SS grounds, Buganda Road Primary School, Villa Park and Nakivubo Blue will host matches for Kampala Central with other matches expected in Lugazi, Jinja, Bombo, Entebbe, Nansana, Gayaza.

Outstanding players from the tournament will be selected to represent the country at the Gothia Cup in Sweden and the Dubai Super Cups between March and May this year.