Newcomers ‘Vryheid United’ scoop the WMF title
Vryheid United claims the Open Division title in Newcastle.
The fifth annual WMF (Wesley Maistry Foundation) Soccer Tournament drew a record number of affiliates with 43 teams competing on October 3 across various age categories.
The Wesley Maistry Foundation is a community outreach organisation founded in 2021 after the tragic passing of Dr Wesley Maistry during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The foundation is well-known in Newcastle and surrounds for assisting communities in need with food hampers, bottled water, medication and free doctors’ consultations.
The first annual WMF Soccer Tournament was hosted at the Paradise sports grounds in 2022.
The event features a mini-market with food and toy stalls, as well as a jumping castle, to create a family-friendly environment that can be enjoyed by spectators of all ages.
Event organiser, Dr Gregory Maistry (Wesley’s brother), described the this year’s tournament as a ‘milestone event’, and congratulated Open Division winners, ‘Vryheid United’, who earned the right to engrave the team’s name on the WMF floating trophy after competing in the tournament for the very first time.
The team’s name joins those of former winners of the title including ‘Amajuba Leeds’ from Volksrust (winners in 2022 and 2023), ‘Boca Seniors’ from Pietermaritzburg (winners in 2024) and ‘City of Refuge’ from Newcastle (winners in 2025).
“The Open Division final between last year’s title holders, ‘City of Refuge’ and first time participants, ‘Vryheid United’, was the highlight of the day,” said Maistry, thanking ‘Vryheid United’ for traveling to Newcastle to compete.
He added that the tournament received great support from Northern KwaZulu-Natal with teams from Newcastle, Madadeni, Osizweni, Ladysmith, Vryheid and Dundee competing.
‘Vryheid United’ returned home with a R5 000 cash prize as well as a full team kit (comprising 15 pieces), winners’ medals for each team member and the winners’ trophy for the team.
Winners and runners of each division was as follows:
- In the Under 12 Division, ‘Impuphu Tigers’ was the winner and ‘Young Dynamos’ the runners up.
- In the Under 14 Division, ‘Outlaws Foot Club’ was the winner and ‘Rising Stars’ the runners up.
- In the Under 16 Division, ‘Amajuba Steel’ was the winner and ‘Ladysmith Juniors’ the runners up.
- In the Open Division, ‘Vryheid United’ was the winner and ‘City of Refuge’ the runners up.
- In the Over 30’s Division, ‘Amajuba Legends’ was the winner with ‘Newells Old Boys Football Club’ (Captained by Dr Gregory Maistry) the runners up.
- Miguel Marino from ‘City of Refuge’ was named ‘Player of the Tournament’.
All division winners received medals, a trophy, a full kit and other prizes.
Maistry thanked the community and local soccer enthusiasts for their support.
“We look forward to making WMF bigger and better in 2027,” he said.
Maistry further thanked sponsors who donated generously toward the tournament, including Avish Singh, Kiren Damba, Avinash Raghuber, Darren Doorsamy, Rajay Ramdas, Neelan Naidoo and Kanthi Govender.
“…and thank you to the WMF team and members for your hard work and dedication in making it a successful tournament,” he concluded.
Teams interested in affiliating for the 2027 WMF Soccer Tournament, as well as small business owners interested in hosting a stall, can contact Dr Gregory Maistry on 076 201 1938 for more information.
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