2018 BARCLAYS CUP DRAWS UNVEILED
Barclays Bank Zambia has announced an improved package for the 2018 Barclays Cup that will see five time winners Zesco United face Nkana in the quarterfinals.
And FAZ President Andrew Kamanga has hailed Barclays Bank for having continuously sponsored the tournament for the past 12 years.
During the draws held at Inter-Continental Hotel this morning, Barclays Bank Managing Director Mizinga Melu said the 2018 edition sponsorship had been upped to K2.4 million with the prize money hitting K400, 000 for the winner while the runner up will pocket K200, 000.
The Coach of the Tournament will receive K15, 000 with the Player of the Tournament walking away with the same amount.
Man of Match winners will receive K5, 000 with a hospital cash plan on the cards.
“This year, the amount we are investing is K2.4 million in the Barclays Cup tournament. This is much bigger than what we had last year. This amount goes into the various activities of running this tournament,” Melu said.
“The tournament winner last year was getting K350, 000, this year this is going up to K400, 000. The runners last year got K180, 000, this year they will get K200, 000.”
She also disclosed that the 2018 edition would be the final chapter under the emblem of Barclays with new owners ABSA taking over the naming rights.
“This is the last time the tournament will be held under the name Barclays Cup, this is an exciting and historic moment. Next year it will be called the ABSA Cup. ABSA is one of the biggest banks on the continent with a balance sheet of over US1 trillion dollars. We also sponsor the ABSA Premier League,” she said.
And Kamanga hailed the loyalty Barclays had shown through corporate sponsorship in the 12 years they had sponsored the competition.
“It is worth noting that the Barclays Cup remains the flagship cup competition in our league. It has helped keep the competitive spirit of our league over the years very high,” Kamanga said.
“Clubs fight very hard to be among the top teams that make the cut during the draw. It has most definitely given the FAZ League added impetus towards the competitiveness.”
In the preliminary draws first timers Manchester United Academy (MUZA) of Mazabuka United were drawn against Young Buffaloes while ‘Mighty’ Mufulira Wanderers will play Real Nakonde with the matches slated for this Saturday (August 25) at Nkoloma Stadium.
Manchester United will play Young Buffaloes in the lunchtime kickoff while Mufulira Wanderers will take to the field at 15:15 hours.
In the quarterfinal draws set for the weekend of September 29-30 Zesco United were paired against Nkana while Green Buffaloes will engage Lusaka Dynamos although Green Eagles have contested the eligibility of Lusaka Dynamos.
Zanaco will face the winner between Manchester United Academy and Young Green Buffaloes while Power Dynamos will take on the winner between Mufulira Wanderers and Real Nakonde.
The matches involving Zanaco and the winner between Young Buffaloes and Manchester and also Zesco United versus Nkana will be played on Saturday (September 29).
Semi-finals will be held on October 20 with final set for 10th November, 2018.
You can follow every fixture live on Zedbola.com
[Source: Zamfoot]
