Mukah makes PETRONAS Youth Football Tournament debut, 17 teams kick off campaign

Mukah District Officer Peleadzman Ahip performs the ceremonial kick-off to mark the opening of the PETRONAS Youth Football Closed Tournament 2026 in Mukah on Oct 10, 2026. Photo credit: PETRONAS Sarawak

By DayakDaily Team

MUKAH, Oct 11: A total of 17 teams are competing in the Mukah leg of the PETRONAS Youth Football Closed Tournament (PYFCT) 2026, which made its debut in the division yesterday (Oct 10).

The Under-14 and Under-16 tournaments are being held across three divisions, with the Kuching edition commencing on Sept 27, followed by Mukah on Oct 10 and Bintulu scheduled to begin on Oct 17.

The introduction of Mukah as a new addition to PYFCT 2026 expands the tournament’s reach and provides more opportunities for young footballers in the region to participate in a structured youth football programme.

Mukah District Officer Peleadzman Ahip officiated at the opening ceremony at Padang Mesra of Dalat and Mukah District Council (MDDM) with a ceremonial kick-off.

Also present were Mukah District Police Chief DSP Muhamad Rizal Alias and Mukah Divisional Health Officer Dr Muhammad Najib Hasan @ Ahmad.

A group photo of guests and young footballers during the opening ceremony of the PETRONAS Youth Football Closed Tournament 2026 in Mukah on Oct 10, 2026. Photo credit: PETRONAS Sarawak

The ceremony began at 1.45pm with a march-past by participating teams and match officials, followed by the singing of the Sarawak anthem, “Ibu Pertiwiku”. The opening matches began at 2pm.

According to a fact sheet issued by PETRONAS Sarawak, the introduction of the Mukah edition further strengthens PETRONAS’ commitment to supporting grassroots football development across Sarawak while creating a wider platform to identify and nurture young football talent.

“PYFCT also promotes important values such as teamwork, discipline, perseverance and sportsmanship, helping young players develop both on and off the pitch,” it said.

Of the 17 teams in Mukah, eight are competing in the Under-14 category and nine in the Under-16 category. Matches will run until Nov 8.

The top two teams in each category will qualify for the PETRONAS Youth Football Champions League 2026 at State-level in December, according to the fact sheet. — DayakDaily