SINGAPORE — It looks like there is going to be a strong Bayern Munich presence in the coming months as the German powerhouse intensifies its outreach efforts in Asia.

The 26-time German and five-time European champions have decided to stage the first edition of the FC Bayern Youth Cup Singapore here next month, from which the best players of the tournament will be selected to represent Singapore at the FC Bayern Youth Cup World Finals in Munich in May.

This comes after Bayern announced last month that they will play two pre-season friendlies here in July, which is understood to be part of the International Champions Cup (ICC) tournament. This is part of their Asian tour ahead of the 2017/18 season, which also includes two friendly matches in China.

TODAY had reported in January that the Singapore Sports Hub and various parties were in talks to bring the ICC to the 55,000-seater National Stadium. A press conference to unveil more details is scheduled for March 16, with Bayern legend Paul Breitner expected to be in attendance.

The Bayern Youth Cup will help to build up the hype ahead of the team’s visit and former Bayern player Hasan Salihamidzic, now a club ambassador, will be in Singapore to select the best players.

“I am really excited for the FC Bayern Youth Cup to be held in Singapore for the first time,” said the former Champions League winner in a media release.

“I am looking forward to be monitoring the progress of the teams in Singapore… Watching young footballers develop their skills and sharing knowledge and experience with them during the tournaments is always a pleasure.”

The tournament is an Under-16, seven-a-side competition that will feature up to 32 teams and takes place on April 8 and 9 at the Singapore University of Technology and Design. Bayern and local academy, F-17 Football Academy, will co-organise the Cup.

Mizra Ismail, co-owner of F-17 Football Academy, said: “We are very honoured that FC Bayern has entrusted us with the organisation of the first FC Bayern Youth Cup in Singapore. This tournament provides a once in a lifetime opportunity for our Singaporean players to compete with and test their skills in an international environment in Europe.”

Ten of the most outstanding players will be selected to form a team to represent Singapore at the World Finals of the Cup, which has been held annually since 2012. Team Singapore will compete against teams from China, Thailand, the United States, India, Austria and Germany in the sixth edition of the international tournament.

These players will also get to undergo training sessions with Bayern’s youth coaches, meet first-team players and watch Bayern’s final home game of the current Bundesliga season against SC Freiburg at the Allianz Arena.

*All boys born between 1st January 2001 and 31st December 2002 are eligible for participation in the FC Bayern Youth Cup Singapore 2017. Teams can apply for a spot in the tournament at www.f-17.org/fcbyc.