FERWABA initiated the Maiden Rwanda Cup, providing basketball teams from all divisions with a new opportunity to compete for a trophy.
FERWABA launched an unprecedented yearly Rwanda Cup at BK Arena on April 26, featuring teams from both Division 1 and Division 2 in men’s and women’s categories, with the objective of intensifying competitionsand nurturing the growth of bench players
The Women’s games started on April 24, and the men’s competition tipped off, Friday, April 26, featuring group stage matchups.
In the men’s category, a total of 21 teams have confirmed their participation in the inaugural Rwanda Cup. The teams are divided into three groups of four teams each and one group of five teams.
Each team will play against the other teams in their group once. The four group winners will advance to the quarterfinals, where they will be matched with the top four clubs from last season, who have been granted automatic entry to the quarterfinals.
The tournament will proceed with single-elimination games, with teams competing until the final match. Additionally, a third-place game will be contested.
In the Women’s category, 7 teams are split into two groups, one with four teams and the other with three teams. From each group, two teams will progress to the semi-finals, and a single game in the semi-finals will determine the finalists with the losing teams competing for third place.
The rules and regulations will remain unchanged from those of the league.
Speaking to Mr. Richard Nyirishema, the Vice President overseeing Competitions at FERWABA, He notes that the Rwanda Cup stands as the second most prestigious local competition in the nation. He emphasizes that the victors will earn the chance to represent Rwanda in international tournaments.
He said, “The Rwanda Cup winners won’t be taking the trophy as a symbol. We are engaging our marketing team to seek out partners and sponsors, and the discussions are progressing positively. We’re committed to organize a highly competitive tournament with appealing incentives.” Declared FERWABA 2nd Vice President in charge of competitions
He added; “The victors in the men’s division will represent the nation in the Zone V Club Champions, while the women’s category winners will have the honor of being the country’s flag bearers in the Africa Women’s Basketball League Qualifiers, alongside the League Champions.”
Mr. Nyirishema also disclosed information about a forthcoming Men’s Zone V club championship, which will be launched soon. This non-FIBA tournament aims to enhance club competition among members of Zone V.
“We, as members of Africa’s Zone Five, have resolved to launch a new Men’s Club Championship independent of FIBA affiliation. This move is aimed at boosting basketball competition among our clubs. Typically, only league champions get the chance to compete in continental events. However, with the Zone V Club Championship, our second-ranked team will also have the opportunity to vie at the international level.”
Since the inception of the Basketball Africa League in 2020, the men’s zonal competition has been supplanted by the Road To BAL, which consists of qualifying rounds. These rounds determine the final 12 teams from across the continent that compete in the BAL regular season.
According to Mr. Nyirishema, FERWABA has decided that the Rwanda Cup winners will represent the country in the Zone V club championship, rather than the second-ranked team in the league.
FERWABA’s 2023 General Assembly resolution included the creation of the Rwanda Cup. And the newly launched inaugural Rwanda Cup will culminate on August 9, 2024, with the finals and award ceremonies.
