By Nancy Nais
KUCHING, Oct 31: SJN Academy emerged champions of the 2026 PETRONAS Youth Football Closed Tournament (PYFCT) Under-12 (PSK 12), beating 15 other teams from across Sarawak in the competition.
During the tournament, Nexus Academy finished as runners-up, while BKJ Academy took third place.
SJN Academy’s Muhammad Farish Qazim Johadi was named Best Player, while teammate Aazim Aliff Safuan received the Best Goalkeeper award.
Nexus Academy’s Adam Danial Laili claimed the Top Scorer award, while the academy also took home the Fair Play Award.
PETRONAS Sarawak general manager Norazibah M. Rabu said the company remained committed to organising the tournament as part of its ongoing efforts to empower and develop young people through sports.
“For us at PETRONAS, we remain committed to organising this tournament because we believe in youth empowerment. This is all about youth development and youth empowerment.
“We have also observed encouraging responses from local football academies, with significant improvements in team management, players’ skills and overall playing standards,” she said after the prize-giving and closing ceremony at the Kuching Division Football Association (KDFA) here today.
The tournament, which began in Kuching three years ago, expanded to Bintulu last year and Mukah this year, reflecting growing interest and participation among young footballers throughout Sarawak.
Norazibah also expressed her appreciation to the tournament’s strategic partners and supporting organisations, including the Sarawak Sports Corporation (SSC), Lea Sports Centre (LSC), Football Association of Sarawak (FAS), coaching personnel, and the medical team, for their contributions to its successful organisation.
She said the collaboration had been instrumental in creating meaningful opportunities for young players to develop their abilities, build confidence, and gain experience in competitive football.
“It is very heartwarming to see the positive impact this tournament has brought to our youth and young players. We will continue because we have seen such positive outcomes,” she added.
The PETRONAS Youth Football Closed Tournament is part of the company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) commitment to youth development, community building, and nurturing the younger generation through sports.
The tournament also complements the government’s broader efforts to encourage sports participation and develop future sporting talents in Sarawak. — DayakDaily
