Defending champions Boys’ Town FC will open the new season of the Alliance Moneygram/McKay Security KSAFA Under-20 football competition against Olympic Gardens FC at Collie Smith Drive next Tuesday.

The announcement was made by competition committee chairman Marc Williams at a press launch at Scotiabank Sports Club in Liguanea on Tuesday.

Following the opening match, the competition will begin with a full slate of matches one week later. Matches in the four-zone tournament will be played over four days each week from Monday through to Thursday with one zone of matches played on each succeeding day.

Thirty-two teams plus a guest team — Portmore United FC — will compete in four zones — A, B, C and D.

Portmore United FC will compete in Zone A alongside UWI, Barbican, Cavalier, Real Mona, Mountain View, Allman/Woodford and Santos, but points will not be awarded to them for their participation as they will use the opportunity to prepare for their Under-21 competition which will not be played this season.

Kingston and St Andrew Football Association (KSAFA) president Wayne Shaw in his opening remarks, expressed delight at the continued support by Alliance Finance and McKay Security to sponsor the KSAFA Under-20 programme now under the Alliance MoneyGram and McKay Security brand for a two-year sponsorship deal.

Alliance Finance has been a supporter of the KSAFA football programmes since 1996, while McKay Security has been for the past three seasons.

According to Shaw, the current season will be supported by 15 sponsors that have realised a sponsorship of approximately $28.182 million. And in addition to “the cash contribution from our two major sponsors, we managed to obtain additional benefits for the competition by providing a set of 20 players’ jerseys for each of the 32 confirmed participating clubs valued at $1.6 million,” Shaw pointed out.

Thirty-two sets of players’ jerseys will be supplied by Locker Room Sports, the official uniform and equipment sponsor.

With the added provision of gear for participating teams, the budget for this season’s competition is $3.425 million up from $2.425 million last season.

Shaw also revealed that KSAFA has reached a contractual agreement with the RJR Telecommunications Group TVJ andKLAS/ESPN Sports Radio for live television and broadcasts, respectively, as an added feature of the season’s competition.

Participating sponsors include Magnum, Charles Chocolate, Soccer Xpress, KLAS/ESPN Sports Radio, Pure Water,Television Jamaica, Corporate Sponsor, Delgado Health Services, USAID Comet II, Alliance MoneyGram, McKay Security and Locker Room Sports.

— Hurbun Williams