THE Trinidad and Tobago Premier Football League (TTPFL) launched its 2024 First Citizens Knockout Cup at the Hasely Crawford Stadium, Mucurapo, on April 9 and it was confirmed the winner of the competition will receive a $100,000 cash prize, with the runner-up pocketing $50,000.
TT Football Association (TTFA) general secretary Amiel Mohammed confirmed First Citizens Bank (FCB) as the title sponsor of the tournament, and he said they have committed an estimated $200,000 to the tournament, with $150,000 specifically set aside for the top two prizes. The balance of FCB's contribution to the tournament will go toward items such as logistic expenses and Tobago airfare.
All 26 TTPFL teams – 11 from tier one and 15 from tier two – will be involved in the tournament which will kick off on April 20 with the preliminary round.
The top three teams in the current tier one and tier two standings will receive a bye for the preliminary round. They will enter the competition at the round of 16 stage, which is set to be contested on the weekend of April 27.
TTPFL tier one leaders Miscellaneous Police FC, second-placed AC PoS and Defence Force will be on byes for the prelims, while the tier two trio of Guaya United, Harlem Strikers and MIC Matura ReUnited will also receive a bye for the tournament's first round.
Defence Force, who are third in the tier one standings at present, are the TTPFL's reigning knockout champions, to go along with being the holders of the league title. Last July, Defence Force stamped their dominance on the inaugural TTPFL season when they got a thrilling 5-3 extra time victory against Terminix La Horquetta Rangers at the Diego Martin Sporting Complex in the knockout final.
On that day, Defence Force got a hat-trick from striker Brent Sam, along with a stunning performance from flanker Reon Moore, who sealed a move away to Canadian Premier League club Pacific FC last month.
At the draw, last season's two knockout finalists were put on a collision course as they could meet in what would be an appetising round of 16 clash. Rangers have been drawn against Cunupia Eagles FC (tier two) in the preliminary round, with the winner of that encounter scheduled to meet the reigning champions Army in the next round.
There will be ten preliminary round matches, with only one of those being an all-tier one clash – Eagles FC versus 1976 FC Phoenix. Eagles are currently tenth on the tier one table with 16 points, with Phoenix in ninth spot on 19 points.
The first round draw produced a few other interesting matchups. There will be a servicemen derby between Defence Force and Police's tier two teams, while the cellar-placed clubs from either division – Club Sando (tier two) and Central FC – will also battle for a spot in the last 16. Another intriguing first round matchup will see tier one's sixth-placed team, Heritage Petroleum Point Fortin Civic, facing tier two's fourth-placed outfit Central Soccer World.
The quarterfinal matches in the competition are set to be contested from May 4-5, while the semifi
