The third edition of the annual Dela Sports Tournament has entered its knockout stage, with four teams securing semi-final slots as they battle for a place in the championship final scheduled for June 21 at Del Monte Local 20 in Thika.
The tournament, founded by sports promoter Patrick Dela, has continued to attract growing interest from football enthusiasts and local communities since its inception. According to Dela, last year’s edition attracted more than 80 teams, including 16 university sides, highlighting the tournament’s expanding reach and popularity.
Speaking during an interview at Newsline Media Studios, Dela said the competition was established to unite communities through football while providing a platform for talented players to showcase their skills.
“We started this tournament to bring communities together through football and create a platform where talent can be showcased. Seeing the competition grow every year is something we are very proud of,” he said.
This year’s tournament kicked off with preliminary matches held between March 29 and March 31. Teams were divided into two pools, with matches played at TCM Grounds and Del Monte Local 20.
The TCM Grounds pool featured Red Lions FC from Juja, Destiny Veterans from Makongeni, Pamoja Legends from Gatuanyaga and Kimanza FC from Kilima Mbogo. The Del Monte Local 20 pool comprised Thika Rangers, Kiambu Community Elite, Legacy FC and Juja Founders.
Dela described the preliminary matches as highly competitive, noting that all participating teams displayed determination and sportsmanship despite some being eliminated from the competition.
Following the preliminary rounds, Destiny Veterans and Pamoja Legends emerged as the top teams from the TCM pool, each collecting seven points. From the Local 20 pool, Kiambu Elites and Legacy FC secured qualification to the semi-finals.
The semi-final fixtures will see Kiambu Elites face Pamoja Legends, while Legacy FC takes on Destiny Veterans in what is expected to be an exciting battle for places in the final.
“The semi-finals promise exciting football full of adrenaline for the fans. Every team has worked hard to get this far and we expect very competitive matches as they fight for a place in the finals,” Dela said.
Football fans are expected to turn out in large numbers as the tournament approaches its climax. The winners of the semi-finals will advance to the final match on June 21, where the tournament champions will be crowned.
Dela called upon football lovers and members of the public to attend the matches and support the teams.
“We invite all football lovers and the community at large to come and support the teams as they interact and network,” he said.
