SHAH ALAM, Sept 14 — Forty-eight school football teams are going up against each other to win Piala Jubli Perak, a championship organised in conjunction with Sultan of Selangor Sultan Sharafuddin Idris Shah Alhaj’s silver jubilee of reign this year.
Championship main committee chairman Dato’ Emran Kadir said the tournament this year takes the place of the annual Piala Raja Muda Selangor.
“The difference this year is that participation was increased from 32 to 48 teams following the World Cup format,” he said when met at the Piala Jubli Perak Football Tournament sponsorship presentation ceremony at Dewan Karangkraf here today.
The under-15 championship offers a cash reward to the top four.
“This is the only championship that offers cash rewards for the school level, under-15, where the champions will receive RM12,000, runners-up get RM9,000, third place get RM7,000 and fourth place get RM5,000,” Emran explained.
He said the Piala Jubli Perak trophy was contributed by the Sultan and will be kept by the winning school for a certain period after the final, after which the cup “will be returned and stored permanently at the Selangor Football Gallery Museum in Istana Alam Shah”.
A replica will be given to the winning school.
The first match will be held on September 22 while the final will take place on October 31 at MBPJ Stadium, with the Sultan expected to attend.
Meanwhile, State Secretary Dato’ Ahmad Fadzli Ahmad Tajuddin said the state government has channelled RM500,000 to organise Piala Jubli Perak, develop grassroots football, and identify new talent.
He added that new talent identified through the tournament would be considered for football development programmes, including those preparing athletes for the Malaysian Games (SUKMA).
He said football development must be backed by good sports facilities and comprehensive ecosystems for players, including in terms of treatment and rehabilitation in the event of injury.
He reminded students, teachers and supporters not to overdo it with merriment at the championship and to avoid aggression.
Emran said each school received RM1,200 from the RM500,000 allocation as starting capital for the championship.
“When the round of 48 goes down to 32, 16, eight and four teams, each team will receive an additional RM1,000 at every stage.
“Also prepared are individual gifts for Most Valuable Player and Highest Scorer, as usually awarded in other championships,” Emran added.
