Hassan Al Kuwari, Acting Executive Director of Marketing and Communication at QSL, and Fatma Al Nuaimi, Director of Communications at Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy, at the press conference. Pic: Kammutty V P / The Peninsula
More than 600 players from 32 companies will fight for over QR90,000 cash prizes in Workers Cup-2017 football tournament, slated to kick off on Friday at the Qatar Sports Club (QSC).
The fifth edition of Doha’s annual Workers Cup will take place each Friday for seven weeks. The tournament is being organised by the Qatar Stars League (QSL) in collaboration with the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy (SC).
This year, two more categories - shield winner and shield runner up - have been added for cash prizes as they will receive QR7,500 and QR5,000 respectively.
Details about the tournament were given by Hassan Al Kuwari, Acting Executive Director of Marketing and Communication at QSL, and Fatma Al Nuaimi, Director of Communications at Supreme Committee for Delivery and Legacy in a press conference held at Al Bidda Tower yesterday.
“The champion of the tournament will receive QR25,000 cash prize. The runner-up will get QR20,000 cash prize. The team securing third place will receive QR15,000 cash prize,” said Al Kuwari.
“The best player and best goal keeper of the tournament and the best coach will also be awarded QR1,500 each. The best player of each match will get QR200.”
“The tournament aims at bringing smiles to the faces of workers. We achieved the goal. Players shared pictures and footage of matches with their families and friends with joy. We saw the overwhelming happiness when they scored goals or won the match, said Al Kuwari.
The tournament is a message of thanks to the labour community, recognising their role in the development of the country.
This year’s tournament will see over 600 players compete in 32 teams - an increase on the 24 teams that battled it out for glory last year. 2016’s surprise winners, Taleb Group, who took the trophy in their debut tournament, are also re-entering the competition to defend their 2016 title.
The tournament kicks off at 6:45pm on Friday at Qatar Sports Club when Nakheel Landscapes will face off against Bin Omran Trading & Contracting. Both companies have competed in previous editions of the Cup. The tournament’s showpiece final will be played on Friday March 31. General admission for every Workers Cup match is free and everyone is welcome to attend and cheer on the competing teams.
The competing teams are made up of players from local and international construction companies operating in Qatar, many of whom are working on the country’s largest infrastructure projects as well as SC projects linked to the 2022 FIFA World CupTM. This year will see 15 teams linked to the SC compete at the tournament. They consist of 11 former and current contractors engaged on World Cup projects and four teams engaged with the SC’s flagship CSR programme, Generation Amazing.
The Workers Cup has grown in size and stature in recent years, with over 11,000 fans packing the stands at the Al-Ahli Sports Club Stadium for the 2016 tournament final. Last year, the competition also earned the praise of FIFA President Gianni Infantino and UN Secretary General for Development and Peace, Wilfried Lemke, both of whom were impressed by the healthy competition and camaraderie the Workers Cup instils in participants.
