The Scotiabank Kids Football Championship is making its historic debut in Jamaica this weekend, marking the first time the regional youth tournament is being held in the English-speaking Caribbean. The competition, launched at the Scotia Centre in Kingston on Thursday, will see 480 boys and girls from 60 primary and preparatory schools across the island participate in an Under-11 mixed five-a-side football tournament, designed not only to develop football talent but also to foster life skills and community values.

At the forefront of the initiative is Andrew Edwards, Chairman of the Local Organizing Committee and Tournament Sporting Director, who has overseen the competition’s rollout in Jamaica.

“This is something Scotiabank has been doing since 2014 across Latin America,” said Edwards. “When they decided to expand into the English-speaking Caribbean, Jamaica was naturally the first choice. We were contacted through Innovasport, and we’ve since been working with Scotiabank to execute the programme using proven structures from other countries.”

The tournament officially kicks off on Saturday, May 3 at Manchester High School, where 18 schools from Middlesex will compete in the opening regional leg. Among the schools bowing into action this weekend are:

New Green Primary, Ebenezer Primary, Greater Portmore Primary, Ascot Primary, Bethabara Primary, New Forest Primary, Christian Moravian, Villa Road Primary, Alligator Pond Primary, McCauley Primary, Spalding Primary, Pike Primary, Bellefield Primary, South Starz Primary, Old England Primary, Broad Leaf Primary, Knox Junior School, and Sacred Heart Academy.

The first set of matches kicks off at 8:30 a.m. with Greater Portmore taking on Sacred Heart Academy, New Green Primary facing Spalding Primary, and Pike Primary battling Ebenezer Primary.

Each team is required to include at least two female players, reinforcing the tournament’s commitment to gender inclusion and equal opportunity in youth sports.

Scotiabank will provide all participating teams with playing gear, and in addition to the on-field competition, players will take part in a one-day workshop focused on financial literacy through the League of Life programme. Modeled after the board game Monopoly, the initiative teaches children vital financial skills such as saving, investing, and budgeting.

“The programme is about more than football,” said Yanique Forbes Patrick, Vice President of Public Affairs and Communications at Scotiabank. “It’s about giving young boys and girls across Jamaica an opportunity to develop life skills that will serve them well into adulthood.”

The tournament will move next to Westpow Park in Montego Bay on May 10 and 11 for the Cornwall leg, and then to UWI in Kingston on May 17 and 18 for Surrey. The semi-finals and finals are set for May 24 and 25, also at UWI, where three regional champions and a Fair Play Award winner will be crowned.

The Jamaica Football Federation (JFF) has also endorsed the initiative, with President Michael Ricketts noting its alignment with national youth development objectives.

“We are proud to support this Scotiabank Under-11 tournament,” Ricketts said. “Programmes like this that combine football with education are essential in ensuring we produce not only young athletes but well-rounded citizens. We applaud Scotiabank for their continued investment in the grassroots of Jamaican football.”

With a blend of sport, education, and inclusion, the Scotiabank Kids Football Championship is more than just a tournament—it’s a powerful platform for building Jamaica’s next generation on and off the pitch.