Following months of preparation, 100,000 children from over 170 schools have been invited to compete in the island’s first secondary school sport initiative of its kind. This exciting collaboration is being led by the Ministry of Education Tertiary Education, Science and Technology, with support from the Premier League, British High Commission, Liverpool International Academy Mauritius, and the Cote d’Or Management Team.
Preliminaries began on the 29 August , and end on 31 August 2023. 12 boys and 12 girl’s teams will participate in Finals Day at Cote d’Or National Sports Complex on 14 September 2023.
Premier League officials will soon arrive in Mauritius from the UK to support delivery of the Finals Day itself, and then train 50 of Mauritius’ leading school football coaches, with a strong mixture of men and women taking part. The three-day workshop, which will include a mixture of classroom and on-pitch learning, will be led by the experienced Premier League coach educator Graham Robinson. The workshop will focus on improving delivery of school football coaching in Mauritius, ensuring young people across the country will get to take part in more engaging, inclusive sports sessions moving forward, improving the quality of young players coming through the school system.
The Premier League will also work with Mauritian officials on an additional masterclass on how to deliver largescale grassroots football tournaments, to build the capacity of those involved in delivering youth tournaments in the future. This exciting partnership is part of an ongoing commitment of the British High Commission and the globally renowned Premier League to improve grassroots football across the country.
This inaugural event builds on historic football competitions in Mauritius and responds to the island’s love for Premier League football. It is set to inspire young children – both male and female – towards a healthy life through football and harnessing their school spirit in the coming months. Finals Day itself is expected to attract a capacity crowd of school students at Cote d’Or (4,500 attendees) cheering for their school teams along with distinguished VIPs. Further tournament and partnership details can be expected in due course. This event is a secondary school activity and will not be open to the public.
Leela Devi Dookun-Luchoomun
Mrs Leela Devi Dookun-Luchoomun, Vice-Prime Minister, Minister of Education, Tertiary Education, Science and Technology
As we launch the Mauritius Secondary Schools Football Tournament as well as the training of school football coaches in close partnership with the British High Commission and the Premier League, I can only be deeply appreciative of the support and effort being invested to help develop the professional and footballing skills of our coaches and students respectively. The latter’s active participation in the tournament will definitely bring to the fore precisely those qualities that we seek to inculcate in them namely team spirit, fortitude, communication and resilience. The bonus comes in the shape of a consolidated ethos of gender equality with both boys and girls being literally on a level playing field. This partnership with the British High Commission and, through it, with the Premier League, is deeply cherished and is slated to yield high dividends. We all stand to gain by sustaining it.
Charlotte Pierre
Charlotte Pierre, British High Commissioner to Mauritius:
Mauritius and the UK have a deep and enduring connection. So much binds our two nations together, including an obsession with Premier League football! I am delighted the Premier League will soon arrive in Mauritius to establish a new relationship with Mauritius, and the British High Commission will continue to work hard to make this a success. We are super proud of The Lionesses’ recent successes and I am pleased the Premier League workshops and the tournament will have a strong focus on encouraging more Mauritian girls and young woman playing the sport. I look forward to attending Finals Day on 14 September. Good luck to all teams participating!’
Richard Masters
Richard Masters, Premier League Chief Executive Officer
The Premier League is delighted to support this new schools tournament, which will give thousands of boys and girls the opportunity to play competitive football.
“We are committed to the development of the game both in the UK and around the world. This coach education programme will give male and female coaches the chance to improve their own skills, which will then go on to benefit even more young people across the island .
