Omaruru: The town of Omaruru will play host to the first edition of the Mayoral Cup football and netball tournament this weekend at the Mabokke Stadium and Lunar Park, where teams will compete for glory, bragging rights and top honours.

According to Namibia Press Agency, with the absence of a professional football structure in the country, players from the premiership, as well as the first and second divisions, will have the opportunity to compete alongside amateur players, providing a test of talent and preparation ahead of the upcoming season.

One of the tournament's organisers, Verizunda Katjaimo, confirmed to Nampa on Thursday that the event will go ahead as planned on Saturday and Sunday, adding that it is open to all willing teams and players from across the country. Katjaimo said the aim of the tournament is to bring the people of Omaruru together to socialise and build cohesion, while also creating a business platform for local vendors to trade.

'Such events are designed for talent identification, celebrating athletes for their unwavering dedication to their craft, thereby giving them a platform to showcase, compete, and earn rewards at the end of the day,' she said.

A total of N.dollars 60,000 has been allocated to be shared among the top eight performers in both categories, with football receiving N.dollars 40,000 and netball teams sharing the remaining N.dollars 20,000. Football teams will secure their participation with a payment of N.dollars 2,000, while netball teams will pay N.dollars 1,500.

The football champions will receive N.dollars 20,000, a trophy and gold medals; the runners-up will earn N.dollars 10,000 and silver medals, while the losing semi-finalists will each take home N.dollars 5,000. In the netball category, the champions will win N.dollars 10,000, a trophy and gold medals; the runners-up will receive N.dollars 5,000 and silver medals, while the semi-finalists will each be awarded N.dollars 2,500.