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The third annual Al Kass International Cup will see twelve junior teams from some of the world’s most prestigious football clubs descend on the outdoor pitches at Aspire Academy in Doha in the New Year. The teams will battle it out for prize money worth a total of $248,000. |
From January 13 to 23, Al Kass will once again join forces with Aspire Zone Foundation (AZF), the Qatar Football Association (QFA) and the Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee for a 10-day tournament aimed at contributing to the development of a proud footballing nation.
“By regularly hosting a range of elite sporting events, including the Al Kass International Cup, the country has successfully positioned itself as one of the sporting capitals of the world,” said QFA president HE Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa bin Ahmad al-Thani.
Under-16 teams from Aspire International and Aspire Qatar will once more face their International counterparts, Real Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Brazil’s Fluminense. Newcomers Manchester City, FC Porto, AC Milan, FC Barcelona, Auxerre, Japan’s Kashiwa Reysol, and Chicago Fire will complete the line-up. This year also marks the first time a team from the United States of America will compete.
The participating teams will be divided into four groups of three, with the top two teams from each group qualifying for the quarter-finals to compete for the top prize of $75,000. Earlier tournaments have hosted emerging stars such as Adrien Rabiot-Provost, the French footballer, who plays as a midfielder for PSG.
The 2012 Al Kass International Cup also saw participation from then junior player, Kingsley Coman who went onto become the youngest player in PSG’s history that same year.
“It is a great pleasure to welcome the youths of the footballing world back to Doha for this international club tournament as we as a nation gear up to host the FIFA World Cup 2022,” said Hassan al-Thawadi, secretary general of the Qatar 2022 Organising Committee. “We have already seen players from previous Al Kass tournaments represent their country internationally, so there is a strong possibility that some of this year’s participants will be back for the World Cup in 2022.”
With Qatar keen to invest in the future of football, Al Kass International Cup is a unique international showcase of junior talent from some of the most prestigious clubs in the football world.
“Al Kass is one of Qatar’s leading Arabic sports channels and is the official broadcaster of various national football tournaments. Its focus on this sport is a contribution to establishing Qatar as a first-class footballing nation in the build-up to the FIFA World Cup 2022. Indeed there is no better investment to be made than in the youth, for they are the future, and year-on-year the Al Kass International Cup aims to showcase future talent,” said Essa al-Hetmi, chairman of Al Kass Organising Committee. The television channel will also broadcast live coverage of the tournament in both Arabic and English.
The two teams representing Qatar in the tournament, Aspire International and Aspire Qatar, are part of the AZF’s Aspire Academy, which is not only the country’s leading sports academy but also at the heart of the sporting revolution underway in the Gulf region.
Spectators at the tournament will also have the chance to win big with Al Kass with daily prizes of up to $5,000 up for grabs. For each day of the tournament two winners will be chosen for the best fan banner and outfit. In addition, departmental store Fifty One East will be giving away 10 PlayStation 4 consoles during a raffle at the closing ceremony of the tournament.
The 2013 Al Kass International Cup saw Brazil’s Fluminense take the Al Kass trophy from 2012 champions PSG after having beaten them on penalties in a dramatic final.
