2019 ABSA Cup launched as sponsorship package gets 25% hike
Barclays Bank (a memmber of the ABSA group) have launched the newly branded ABSA Cup. The competition which has been sponsored by Barclays Bank Zambia since 2007 and has been known as the Barclays Cup but will now be called ABSA Cup following the change of name and ownership of Barclays Africa to ABSA.
The newly branded ABSA Cup will start with shortened version that will start from the semi final stage as this is a transitional period for the Football Association of Zambia who are in the process of aligning their calendar with the CAF and FIFA calendar.
The 2019 ABSA Cup was launched on Thursday morning at Lusaka’s intercontinental hotel at a colourful event. Sports Minister Moses Mawere was the guest of honour. FAZ President Andrew Kamanga led the contingent of FAZ officials at the event while Barclays Bank Zambia managing Director Mizinga Melu led the sponsors side.
Barclays Bank have upped their sponsorship package by 25%. The total sponsorship package has moved from 2.4 million Kwacha to 3 million Kwacha. The winners of the first ever ABSA Cup will pocket half a million Kwacha with the runners up set to pocket quarter a million.
Barclays Bank have also upped individual prizes with the player of the tournament and the coach of the tournament prize money moving from K15,000 to K18,000 while the man of the match will be pocketing K8,000 with a medical cover policy courtesy of Barclays Life.
The semifinals will be staged on 15th June with the final set for the 22nd of the same month. The semi finals will be held in Lusaka while the final on the Copperbelt but venues will be announced later on.
Defending Champions Nkana will not be able to defend their trophy as they have been knocked out of te race whilet Green Eagles are the only confirmed team in the competition so far. The top two teams in each stream will qualify to the semi finals of the 2019 ABSA Cup.
2019 ABSA CUP PRIZES
K500,000 – WINNERS
K250,000 – RUNNER UP
K18,000 – COACH OF THE TOURNAMENT
K18,000 – PLAYER OF THE TOURNAMENT
K8,000 – MAN OF THE MATCH