KARACHI, Jan 14: With an objective to promote soccer at grassroots level, the inaugural Karachi United school championship kicks off from Jan 21, Karachi United announced on Saturday.

Sixteen 16 school teams of the city would be vying for top honours at DHA Stadium with the final to be played on Feb 26, director administration of the KU, Taha Alizai, told a press conference.

Divided into four pools, the team will play each other on round robin basis and the top two teams from each pool will advance to the knock-out stage.

Director development of KU, Ali Ata, said the school championship had been launched with an aim to give soccer at grassroots level a boost. The championship is being organized in KU’s 10th year anniversary.

Ata said after the launch of Karachi United’s Premier League and Karachi United Sunday League, the school event, which would be an annual feature, would be yet another step for the promotion of the game.

“This will provide school teams with a focus for development and an opportunity to compete for institutional supremacy. The event will be a cornerstone towards grassroots development of football as well as the community and will form an integral part of the annual calendar.”

The participating teams are: Army Public School, Avicenna, Bayview High, Beacon House – Jubilee Campus, Beacon House – PECHS Campus, British Overseas School, City School – Darakhshan, City School – PAF Chapter, DHA School, Foundation Public School, Karachi American School, Karachi Grammar School, Lecole, Lyceum, St. Patrick’s School and Southshore.