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Innocent Kurira, Sports Reporter

ENGLISH Premiership side Aston Villa midfielder Marvelous Nakamba hopes his Under-17 football tournament to be staged later in the year will provide a framework for the resumption of junior football leagues in Zimbabwe.

The Marvelous Nakamba Football (MNF) tournament will be launched on Friday after being cleared by the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC).

“We are excited to announce that we have finally received clearance to host the inaugural Marvelous Nakamba Under-17 football tournament. It gives us great pleasure to know that we have the support of the football custodians as we endeavour to empower grassroots football through this tournament that will see over 400 budding footballers get an opportunity to showcase the talent that we have in abundance,” read a statement from MNF.

The foundation also revealed that teams participating in the tournament as well as the rules will be unveiled on Friday.

Nakamba said: “Grassroots football is a very important part of the survival of football, we have all come through the system of being afforded chances at an early stage and it is befitting that we continue the tradition of supporting grassroots sports. We appreciate approval from the custodians of football and it is our hope that this tournament will raise the curtain to the commencement of junior football in the country. This will be a stepping stone to a Covid complying football era.”

Organisers of the event also revealed that the event will be played behind closed doors, but fans can follow action from the comfort of their homes as the tournament will be live streamed on the foundation’s social media pages, Facebook @Marvelous Nakamba foundation, twitter @Nakamba_MNF and Instagram @mnakambafoundation).

Teams that have been invited for this year’s tournament include Highlanders, Dynamos, Njube Spurs, Hwange Dynamo, Albun Academy, Bulawayo City, Ajax Hot Spurs and Chicken Inn.

Only players aged 17years and below will be eligible to take part in the tournament. – @innocentskizoe