Boys

Pool A: Juatoto, Etincelles, Ndengera and Bigogwe

Pool B: Freedom, Inyange, Musanze and Volcano

Pool C: Omega, Kivu, Tiger Academy and Volcanique

Girls' Pool: Nyakiriba, White Stars, Rulindo and Rubavu

The ongoing preliminary phase of the third edition of Airtel Rising Stars (ARS) U-17 Youth Championships heads to the North and North-Western Zone this weekend-the finals in both genders will be played on Sunday at Tam-Tam stadium in Ruvabu District.

Pool matches start this morning at 8am. Pool A will use Nengo playgrounds, Pool B play at Kibirizi grounds, Pool C at Nyundo while the girls will play at Mbugangari grounds.

Like the previous two rounds in East and South Province zones, the North and North-Western Zone includes sixteen teams—12 for boys and four for girls. A total of 27 matches will be played over two days.

Teams in each pool will play against each other on a round-robin basis with table leaders and the best first runners-up qualifying for Sunday’s finals. Zone champions will book tickets for the national level semi-finals.

Last weekend, United Stars (boys) and Gatagara Centre (girls) of Nyanza district won the Southern Province zone titles to claim tickets for the national level semi-finals slated for late July in Musanze District.

The two-month long competitions are organized by Airtel Rwanda in partnership with Rwanda Football Association (FERWAFA) and Ijabo Association that governs all youth football academies in the country.

Reigning champions Gatsibo academy (boys) and AS Kigali academy (girls) beat Kayonza and Mutara academy of Muhanga to claim the second edition’s titles last year.