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S’pore United Football Fiesta to host ‘World Cup’

SINGAPORE – Players of over 20 different nationalities will converge this weekend at the Singapore United Football Fiesta (SUFF) to compete in a World Cup-styled tournament.

The first-ever Singapore United Football Fiesta will be held this weekend. Photo: SUFF

The first-ever Singapore United Football Fiesta will be held this weekend. Photo: SUFF

SINGAPORE – Players of over 20 different nationalities will converge this weekend at the Singapore United Football Fiesta (SUFF) to compete in a World Cup-styled tournament.

The event is part of a slate of 26 events held around the island starting on Saturday (July 22) to mark the first ever Singapore Football Week (SFW), which aims to boost interest in the sport.

The SUFF will be held at the Home United Youth Academy (HYFA) and is based upon the idea of inclusion of all nationalities in Singapore. Its slogan is “Celebrating Singapore’s Diversity Through Sport”.

The World Cup concept is the centrepiece and will take place on Sunday, with each of the 32 five-a-side teams comprising players who are a citizen of, or born in, the country they are competing for.

A total of 23 different nationalities will be on show as they vie for the “Melting Pot” trophy.

The tournament format will consist of a group stage – there will be a Singaporean team in each of the eight groups – followed by the knockout phases.

A five-a-side tournament for Under-14 and U-16 teams will be staged on the preceding day, with teams encouraged to be multi-ethnic.

There is also a corporate tournament – the MultiNational Cup – on the same day, where each five-a-side team fielded by a company should comprise a minimum of three Singapore citizens and three foreign residents in its squad of eight.

Tournament prizes include dining vouchers from Harry’s, tickets to the International Champions Cup and some free hours at HYFA.

SUFF organisers Seasoned Pro, a sports event company, hopes to spread the message of integration and encourage mass participation.

“We are one of the most cosmopolitan countries on the planet and that should be saluted,” said managing director Shehzad Haque, a Singapore citizen who has mixed parentage, was educated in England and is married to an immigrant.

“What better way to do it than through something as inclusive and enjoyable as sport? That’s how I came up with the concept of Singapore United…. It allows the different communities living, working and studying in Singapore to come together through football, appreciate their differences, whilst honouring the fact that we all live on this tiny island.”

SUFF will also donate a portion of the proceeds from the corporate tournament registration fees to Home United’s Project HYFA, a programme that helps underprivileged youth to realise their potential through football.

Home CEO Azrulnizam Shah Sohaimi believes SUFF’s objectives is aligned with the club’s goals and is proud for them to be a partner.

“Both the on-field and off-field programmes have been purposefully planned to allow the maximum amount of exposure and interaction between the participants of different backgrounds,” he said.

“We firmly believe that events like Singapore United will contribute significantly to the vision of having a harmonious and united society.”

Apart from the football, there will also be a carnival. Stars from Home’s S.League side will also be present to meet fans, conduct clinics and take part in various skills challenges with the public.

*For more information on Singapore United, visit https://singaporeunited.wixsite.com/main or www.facebook.com/singaporeutd.

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