The 2019 edition of the All Financial Institutions Football Competition (AFIFC) sponsored by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), in collaboration with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), is scheduled to kick off Sunday.
The competition, which is in its 33rd year, continues to serve as a platform for the promotion of unity, harmony and peaceful co-existence among key players in Nigeria’s financial system.
As in the previous year, 24 teams will compete for the ultimate prize of N2million while the runners-up will pocket N1.5million .
The bronze medal winners and fourth-placed team will receive N1million and N500,000 respectively.
According to a statement released at the weekend by the Corporate Communications Director of CBN, Mr. Isaac Okorafor, this year, the preliminary matches will be played in Osogbo, Calabar, Makurdi and Jos. The quarter final matches are billed to hold at the same venues on Saturday, September 14, while the semi-finals have been scheduled for Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium, Enugu, on September 18. The final of the competition will be decided at the Abakaliki Township Stadium, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, on September 21.
“In line with our tradition, the bank, working with the NFF, has also concluded plans to invite an ex-international to grace the final to serve as a major boost for participating teams. We therefore urge all the teams that are registered to participate actively and exhibit an unrelenting spirit of sportsmanship.
“CBN remains committed to making positive contributions to the promotion and development of the game of football by sponsoring the competition annually, which is in line with the bank’s corporate social responsibility,” observed the statement from the CBN director.
