Standard Chartered Uganda has this morning unveiled the sixth edition of its Standard Chartered Cup futsal tournament. The announcement of the 2023 Standard Chartered Cup tournament took place during a press conference at the bank’s headquarters on Speke Road.
The 2023 Standard Chartered Cup is an international 5-a-side football tournament that presents football enthusiasts with an exclusive ‘Money Can’t Buy’ opportunity. Participants can win a trip to the UK to witness an English Premier League match, receive professional training from the ‘Reds’ legends and coaches at the LFC academy, and enjoy a match viewing session of an LFC game.
This event is intricately tied to Standard Chartered Bank’s sponsorship of Liverpool FC and serves as a significant platform for the bank to reinforce its local partnership with Liverpool FC. It also engages the bank’s clients and local LFC fans in the beautiful game of football. Notably, this marks the tournament’s sixth installment in Uganda, with prior editions successfully launched in 2015 and continued until 2019 when it was temporarily halted due to the pandemic.
The tournament provides an invaluable platform for the bank to actively connect with football enthusiasts, reward and motivate fans, clients, and employees, and further foster local support for Liverpool FC. It is designed to be a fun-filled, interactive, and sporty event, creating lasting memories under the Standard Chartered banner.
This year, a total of 40 teams, each comprising 7 players, will engage in 10-minute 5-a-side matches, with two substitutes per team. The participating teams will consist of the bank’s Corporate, Commercial, or Business Banking entities, LFC fans, and media partners. Participation is strictly by invitation.
The 40 teams will be organized into eight groups by the organizers for the group stage matches, which will follow a round-robin format. The top two teams from each group will progress to the round of 16, and the winners will advance through a knockout format to reach the final.
During a press conference, Kelvin Musana, the Acting Chief Executive Officer of Standard Chartered, expressed immense pride in their partnership with Liverpool FC, highlighting the unique, ‘money-can’t-buy’ experiences the collaboration enables. He eagerly anticipates the friendly yet exciting competition among the 40 corporate participants, all vying for the grand prize of an all-expenses-paid trip to witness a live match at Anfield, the iconic home of Liverpool Football Club. He urged invited corporate entities to seize this opportunity promptly, as participation is on a first-come, first-serve basis. He also expressed gratitude to past participating organizations and media partners for their support.
Additionally, Steve McManaman, a Liverpool legend, will be a part of this year’s event, providing insights and inspiration to football enthusiasts. McManaman is respected not only by his teammates but also by opponents, managers, and fans.
The Head of Corporate Affairs, Brand, and Marketing, Mrs. Margaret Kigozi, disclosed the technical requirements for company participation. Companies must complete a validation exercise by providing a letter from their Human Resources department confirming the employment status of each registered player, along with copies of their IDs, before the registration deadline of Friday, September 29, 2023.
Registration operates on a first-come, first-serve basis and may close earlier if the 40-team limit is reached before the deadline. The tournament, open to workmates, families, and friends, will take place on October 7, 2023. In the spirit of inclusivity and diversity, teams are encouraged to include female players, as this amateur and enjoyable tournament is designed to reward employees.
Key dates for the tournament include:
– Monday, September 25, 2023: SC Cup launch and commencement of team registration.
– Friday, September 29, 2023: Deadline for team registration.
– Wednesday, October 4, 2023: Team draws press conference.
– Saturday, October 7, 2023: Tournament held at KCCA Grounds.
– Travel to the UK date remains to be announced (TBA).”
