Renown-Multilac Under-10s Football Carnival on Sunday

From left: Multilac General Manager - Sales Mihiran Opatha, CEO Mizha Mizver, Chief Operating Officer Ismail Hussain, Sri Lanka Schools Football Association President Bandara Leelarathna, Renown Football Academy President V. Sritharan Peeris, Multilac Asst. Manager - Marketing Services Tuan Harizano Jainudeen, and Head of Corporate Sales Zulficar Raju at the presentation of sponsorship 

The inaugural Renown-Multilac Sri Lanka Inter-Schools Under-10 Football Carnival will be held on Sunday, 12 May at the Racecourse International Ground in Colombo, with more than 1500 boys and girls expected to participate.

The first of its kind for the age category of Under-10 school footballers of the island, the competition attracted more than 5000 boys and girls across all nine provinces who competed in the preliminary stage. On Sunday, the winners and runners-up from each district will be at the centre-stage, where a whole day of football action coupled with fun activities are scheduled to take place.

The competition, of which the process began months ago with Sri Lanka Schools Football Association taking the onus of conducting the tournament, after the idea received the blessings of the Ministry of Education. By this weekend, the inaugural Renown-Multilac Inter-Schools Under-10 Football Carnival would come to an exciting culmination, with all participants, including of the preliminary round, guaranteed with a valuable certificate of participation.

“It was a personal dream of mine to initiate an All-Island Carnival for Under-10s, so that we can get more kids into football from a younger age. It will definitely lead to the development of football at junior level. The process began last year with the opening of free girls academies in Jaffna, Polonnaruwa and Matale with support and blessings of the Ministry of Education. I should thank the Ministry of Education, Sri Lanka Schools Football Association and their officials for making this dream a reality,” said Vincent Sritharan Peeris, President Renown Football Academy, a co-sponsor of the gala event along with Multilac. Renown Football Academy has been involved in supporting schools football for a considerable period, and has come forward as sponsors during the recent times of tournaments organised and conducted by Sri Lanka Schools Football Association. Multilac, the co-sponsor, will make its debut as contributors to uplift junior football in the country with this event. “We are committed to nurturing dreams and fostering the spirit of sportsmanship as the next generation of football stars take centre stage. We are indeed honoured to be a part of this, and we pledge our support in the coming years as well,” a representative of Multilac said. 

With the sponsorship of Renown Football Academy and Multilac, the organisers are now in a position to present certificates to all participants from the preliminary stage. To maintain a carnival atmosphere, the organisers and sponsors have arranged a series of fun activities on the final day. Multilac has initiated a drawing competition for kids with prizes to be given away for winners, as well as a large canvas at the ground, where youngsters can either draw or imprint their palm. Renown Football Academy has organised a few football skill competitions with prizes for the young players. Renown will also bring down their national men’s and women’s team players to meet and greet with the young players with the intention of inspiring them.