CBN Financial Institutions Football Competition kicks off on Saturday

The preliminary matches of the 2017 CBN Financial Institutions Football Competition will kick off on Saturday, organisers have said.

The Acting Director, Corporate Communications of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Isaac Okorafor said at a press conference in Abuja yesterday that the preliminaries will hold in four locations across the country.

“The preliminary matches of the competition will kickoff on the 14th of October, 2017 in four designated centres namely: Akure, Bauchi, Calabar and Owerri.

“The Quarter final matches are to be played in the four zonal centres, while the Semifinals will be played in Lokoja.

“The competition would be concluded on 28th of October, 2017 at the Lafia Township Stadium, Nasarawa State,” he said.

The CBN’s Acting Director, Corporate Communications also disclosed in his speech that N5 million was up for grabs by top teams.

According to him, Winner (1st place) will go home with N2, 000, 000, 2nd place will win N1, 500,000, 3rd place will be rewarded with N1, 000,000 while the fourth placed team will take home N500, 000.

While intimating that more financial banks and Micro Finance Banks have indicated interest in participating in this year’s edition, he said ex internationals will be invited to grace the finals as part of efforts to inspire players.

The competition, being organised by CBN is for teams from Deposit Money Banks (DMBs), Micro Finance Banks, Financial Regulatory Agencies and other financial institutions.

Balogun Fulani Micro Finance Bank from Ilorin are the defending champions of the competition, having won the last edition for the first time.