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THE inaugural QSL Nations Cup came to a dramatic climax at the weekend as France overcame Sudan to be crowned champions. |
Launched to encourage key communities to get more involved in football, the tournament brought hundreds of players from all over Qatar together as they went head-to-head for glory.
The competition was organised and executed in partnership with recreation and events experts QSports Leagues. Sixteen teams started out hoping to finish as winners – but it was France who secured the honour with a 2-1 win over Sudan at Lekhwiya Stadium on Saturday.
Both teams played immediately after Lekhwiya defeated Al Arabi 4-1 at their new state-of-the-art stadium. Earlier in the evening Spain defeated Tunisia 3-2 in the 3rd Vs 4th play-off match.
Dignitaries and ambassadors representing the different countries involved throughout the competition attended the final as a demonstration of the bond forged between the QSL and its communities.
Hani Ballan, deputy CEO of the Qatar Stars League, presented the trophy and winners’ medals to France on Saturday, while offering sincere commiserations to runners-up Sudan. He said: “The QSL Nations Cup has been, in my view, an overwhelming success.
“We have delivered a high-quality football tournament to a wide variety of communities in Qatar. The level of participation confirms there is real passion for the sport in our country.
“It was my pleasure to be in attendance at the final and watch France record victory over Sudan in what was a very entertaining and competitive match. “The QSL has a social responsibility to people. We believe in the power of football to enhance and improve the lives of people who live here. One of the main aims of this tournament was to strengthen the bond between the QSL and the people in our communities. I believe we have done this.”
The Nations Cup was launched in February as part of a programme aimed to capture the imagination of both current and potential football fans throughout Qatar.
The QSL has embraced Qatar’s communities in an attempt to use football as a tool for social and human development, using the sport to have a positive impact on people’s lives.
This season’s initiatives signaled the start of a diverse and exciting community engagement programme for the QSL and its clubs. Next season it will be even bigger and better, with more opportunities than ever for all communities to get involved in football.
While the Nations Cup has ended, the Workers Cup kicked off at the weekend and was deemed a huge success after its first weekend.
