By: Staff Writer
The first ever Namibia Premier League (NPL) top eight competition kicks off this Thursday as clubs vie for top honors in the Standard Bank sponsored cup.
The winner of the cup is expected to walk away N$ 500 000 richer after the final match has been played over the weekend on Sunday.
UNAM and Tigers will open the lucrative Standard Bank Top 8 Cup on Thursday night at 20h00 at the Sam Nujoma stadium and on Friday Mighty Gunners will play Tura Magic at the same venue at 20h00.
Saturday will see the quarterfinals continue with Black Africa taking on Eleven Arrows at 17h00 before league champions African Stars lock horns with Orlando Pirates for the second successive Saturday, both games at the Sam Nujoma Stadium.
The two sides met last week in the 2018/2019 MTC Premiership season and Stars got the three points with a 1-0 win over an improved youthful Pirates side.
The NPL today released the financial breakdown of the competition that was launched late last year and each of the eight clubs will receive N$ 50 000 for preparations while the winners will then receive N$ 20 000 to prepare for the two legged semifinals. The draw for the last four will be conducted on 6 March.
The eventual champions of the inaugural Standard Bank Top 8 Cup will walk way with N$ 500 000 while the runner-up finalist will get N$ 250 000 and each losing semifinalist will be N$ 125 000 richer.
In the Standard Bank Top 8 Cup Individual awards, each man of the match in the quarterfinals will N$ 2000 and the prize will increase with N$ 500 in the semifinals and another N$ 500 to make it N$ 3000 for the title-deciding match.
Best players of the tournament will receive N$15 000 while best coach , best goal keeper and best referee will each walk away with a cash prize of N$10 000.
