The stage is set for the Bamenda III Council Inclusive Royal Tournament 2026 final, with Sporting FC of Bayelle Manda facing Revenge FC of Mbesi after both sides secured their places in Wednesday's semi finals.
Sporting booked their place with a 3–1 victory over Tipper Park FC, while Revenge produced another disciplined knockout performance to edge Niboung FC 1–0.
The final brings together two teams that have taken very different routes to the championship match.
Sporting FC remain the only team yet to lose a match in the 2026 competition.
They were perfect in the group stage, winning all four of their Pool A matches and collecting 12 points. They scored 10 goals and conceded four.
Their knockout campaign has tested them differently.
Sporting needed penalties to overcome Sunday Sharp FC after a 1–1 quarter final draw, winning the shootout 3–2.
Against Tipper Park in the semi final, however, they returned to winning form with a convincing 3–1 victory.
That result took Sporting's tournament tally to 17 goals scored in six matches, while they have conceded only seven.
Their ability to combine attacking productivity with an unbeaten record makes them formidable finalists.
The route of Revenge FC to the final has been less straightforward.
They finished second in Pool B with six points from four matches, recording two victories and two defeats.
But the knockout stage has produced a different Revenge side.
They first defeated Bayelle FC 4–1 in the quarter finals before facing the formidable Nibung FC in the semi final last Wednesday.
Nibung had entered the knockout stage with a perfect group record and had scored 12 goals in four matches.
Revenge, however, held them to a single goal and found the decisive breakthrough themselves, winning 1–0 to eliminate one of the strongest statistical sides in the tournament.
The victory sends Revenge into the final with momentum and the confidence of having eliminated two difficult opponents without conceding in either knockout match.
The statistics point towards an intriguing contest.
Sporting have been the more consistent side throughout the tournament. They have not lost a match and have demonstrated considerable attacking strength.
Revenge, meanwhile, have become increasingly difficult to break down when the stakes have risen.
The final therefore presents a classic contest between the attacking consistency of Sporting and the growing defensive resilience of Revenge.
There is also a history between the two sides from the group stage. Revenge have already demonstrated that they can compete against strong opponents, while Sporting have consistently found ways to get results.
But a final is a different match all together.
The previous results, group stage records and statistics will matter less once the whistle goes.
The final will bring to a close the 2026 edition of a competition that has been part of community football in Nkwen for more than three decades.
Ten teams began the tournament. Now only two remain.
Under this theme, “youth at the heart of inclusion and community development”, the competition has provided young footballers with a platform during the long holidays while bringing supporters, families, businesses, referees, volunteers and communities together.
For Sporting and Revenge, however, the wider significance will temporarily take a back seat.
The one question left to answer is, Who will become the 2026 Bamenda III Council Inclusive Royal Tournament champion?
Sporting FC have the unbeaten record.
Revenge FC have the knockout momentum.
The final will decide which one matters more.
By Bakah Derick for Hilltopvoices Web
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