By SANDRA MWILA  –

BARCLAYS Bank Zambia has upped the prize money for the 2014 Barclays Cup competition that will see the winner walk away with K250,000 while the runner-up will pocket K100,000 representing an increment of K50,000.
Speaking during a media briefing held at Pamodzi Hotel in Lusaka yesterday, Barclays Bank Zambia managing director Saviour Chibiya said the bank has pumped in K2 million in this year’s tournament that gets underway tomorrow at Nkoloma Stadium.
Chibiya said this year’s winners will pocket K50, 000 more than what Red Arrows, the 2013 champions, got while the coach and the player-of-the-tournament will get K10, 000 and K5, 000 respectively.
“This year’s Barclays cup will be more significant due to the fact that the country will be celebrating 50 years Golden Jubilee. The past 50 years has seen the country make remarkable improvement in the quality of football and Barclays will continue supporting football development,” Chibiya said.
He thanked the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ) for the seven years of successful partnership in hosting the Barclays Cup.
FAZ executive member Lee Kawanu said the Barclays Cup is a platform of celebrating Zambian football.
“The Barclays Cup is an innovative way of improving Zambian football as we will see a new group of champions being crowned in November,” Kawanu said.
SuperSport marketing manager for Southern Africa Marlon Kananda assured soccer fans that pay television channel will televise all matches live.
“As SuperSport we are happy that last year we were able to televise more than 80 local matches and we are still growing,” he said.
He urged other companies to emulate Barclays Bank Zambia by sponsoring other cup competitions in a bid to help the game develop.
League champions Nkana face two-time winners Power Dynamos in Sunday’s semi final that will be preceded by the fixture involving Zanaco and Konkola Blades at 12:45hours.
Debutants and legendary cup fighters ‘Mighty’ Mufulira Wanderers play three-time champions Zesco United in a 12:45hours kick off tomorrow with Lusaka Dynamos taking on the 2012 winners Napsa Stars in a 15:00 hours clash.