The 2019 edition of Airtel Rising Stars (ARS) has reaching an exciting stage as inter-district champions battle at regional level for tickets to the national finals due September 7 in Kampala.
The much anticipated regional action started with Kampala region as sixteen (16) Boys teams and eight (8) Girls teams battle for honors from Friday to this Sunday at Sendi and Kitebi primary schools grounds in Wankulukuku.
FUFA Kampala region CEO Isaac Ssengendo said that the Boys kicked off the action on Friday before the Girls came into action on Saturday and the finals due this Sunday at Sendi grounds.
“We had four groups of Boys teams each having four teams and two group Girls groups. The turn up at the district level was massive and we had exciting competition,” noted Sengendo.
JKT and Uganda Martyrs High school, Rubaga bare the Boys and Girls Kampala region defending champions. Kampala Junior Team (KJT) Academy beat Spartans 1-0 while Uganda Martyrs overcame Gadaffi Integrated School 1-0 in the final. With improved prize money from sponsors Airtel-Uganda, the regional winners will take Shs1.5m whilst Runners up take Shs1m.
The Airtel Uganda –sponsored U17 tournament is played by both Boys and Girls with the national winners getting Shs7m while runners have Shs5m at stake. And as part of this year’s tournament, Airtel-Uganda will handover goal posts, soccer nets and balls to 40 schools countrywide to ensure continuity after the tournament.
The Buganda region qualifiers are set for August 2-4 in Luwero, North East and Eastern region will hold their on August 9-11 in Soroti while Northern and West Nile region will hold theirs on August 16-18 in Lira.
Kitara and Western region will play on August 28-30 in Masindi before the national quarter and semi finals due September 4-6 in Kampala
