The high-octane tournament features
national teams from 32 countries with the support of a number of
organisations considering its increasing popularity.
Dubai, United Arab Emirates, -Sunday 23 September 2018 [ AETOS Wire ]
Hundreds
of football fans from the UAE have travelled to Portugal to watch the
world’s first-of-its-kind ‘Six-a-Side’ mini football World Cup, which
runs in Lisbon from September 23 to 29, 2018.
Hundreds
of football fans from the UAE have travelled to Portugal to watch the
world’s first-of-its-kind ‘Six-a-Side’ mini football World Cup, which
runs in Lisbon from September 23 to 29, 2018.
Organised
by International Socca Federation (ISF), the inaugural edition of Socca
6 World Cup, is taking place in the iconic Praça do Comércio in
Lisbon’s city centre. Best national teams of 32 countries from around
the world are competing in the week-long tournament. The 6-a-side
football is gaining momentum with 2.1 billion people are playing in the
new format worldwide.
The
ISF is the leading organizer of international small-sided football
competitions for both national teams and club teams in the formats of
5,6, 7 and 8-a-side football.
In
a statement issued to the UAE media, Mr. Shahzeb Mehmood Trunkwala,
Vice President of International Socca Federation (ISF), said, “We are
happy to see the immense interest of football fans from the UAE in the
league. The ‘6-a-side’ football tournament aims to cater to the
millennial generation. The mini World Cup, featuring players of the best
continental and worldwide national teams, has so many positives to gain
from it. This is also a great opportunity to compete for the world
title for countries that have never won it before.”
Mr.
Trunkwala is also the CEO of Leisure Leagues Pakistan (LLP), which
hosted several international footballers including Brazilian star
Ronaldinho and Welsh Ryan Giggs last year in Pakistan. Now he is setting
the stage for participation of Pakistan in the inaugural edition of IFS
Socca World Cup.
He
wants to see the International Socca Cup hosted in a Gulf country in
the near future. He is also seeking opportunities for the LLP to play in
the region as part of showcasing Pakistani players’ talent in 204
countries and play in regular international football tournaments.
The
ISF Vice President further said, “I have been advised by the ISF
director board to seek opportunities to take the game of mini Football
World Cup to the Gulf countries as well and establish the game in the
region as we did it in the UK and Pakistan. We are seeking the
possibilities for hosting the Socca World Cup here in future. We are
also keen on providing opportunities to football teams from the Gulf
countries. This will help promote the region’s image making it easy to
welcome global players to play in the region. This will provide greater
opportunities for the Gulf youth to showcase their talent around the
world.”
“We
would also establish teams from the region, providing opportunities for
them to travel to other countries, while hosting other country teams as
well. This will help us pave the way for the International Socca Cup to
be hosted in the Gulf and establish our strong presence among the
football loving nations in the region,” he elaborated.
The
IFS has developed a spectacular purpose-built stadium in the city’s
Main Square, close to all the city’s tourist amenities, providing an
idyllic backdrop to the world class football tournament.
The
‘Six-a-Side’ mini football World Cup is being supported by a number of
organisations as well as receiving substantial support from governments.
This format is a variation of association football, in which each team
fields six players (five outfield players and a goalkeeper). Other
differences from football include a smaller pitch, smaller goals, a
reduced game duration.
The
ISF was founded in 2017 by national operators of small-sided socca
leagues from across Europe and Asia. The global federation runs
continental and worldwide cup competitions for national teams, as well
as Champions league competitions for club teams. ISF’s national license
holders represent the largest and strongest league operators in their
respective countries.
About International Socca Federation (ISF)
The
ISF is the leading organizer of international small-sided football
competitions for both national teams and club teams in the formats of
5,6, 7 and 8-a-side football. The ISF was founded in 2017 by national
operators of small-sided socca leagues from across Europe and Asia.
The
global federation runs continental and worldwide cup competitions for
national teams, as well as Champions league competitions for club teams.
ISF’s national license holders represent the largest and strongest
league operators in their respective countries.
Contacts
Watermelon Communications
Rasheed Palliyalil
Tel: +97142833655
Email: rasheed@watermelonme.com
