Manitoba takes home gold at U-18 Indigenous Cup

07-07-2025

Manitoba plays against Alberta at the U-18 Indigenous Cup on July 6, 2025. (Daniel Timmerman/CTV News)
Manitoba took home the gold at this year's Under-18 Indigenous Cup.
Football Manitoba held the tournament from Thursday to Sunday at the St. Vital Mustangs field as tackle football players from Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and northwestern Ontario competed.
The event culminated with a gold medal match between Manitoba and Alberta on Sunday, with Team Manitoba coming out victorious on home soil.
'What a fantastic ending to the tournament,' said Bill Johnson, executive director of Football Manitoba.
'The fact that it came down to last-second plays and laterals and big comebacks and all these things going on. It was so much fun, and I think everyone really enjoyed it.'
Manitoba's U-18 Indigenous Cup roster included 27 players from all across the province.
This year's jersey's featured updated language to represent the communities, bands and tribes that make up the team.
'It's a unique experience for these kids in the sense that it's a high-level sport…but also there's a cultural component built into it and there's pride in the fact that we're not just football players, but we're Indigenous football players,' Johnson said.
'I think that's a really neat thing that we're able to offer that opportunity to these kids.'
- With files from CTV's Harrison Shin and Daniel Timmerman.

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National Post

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