MANILA – After two years of coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic hiatus, AIA Kampeon Cup makes its return this Friday at the La Provincia Polo Field in Bacolod City.
The seven-a-side football competition was first played in 2019 where Cebu emerged as the inaugural champion after defeating Bonifacio Global City in the finals.
The two squads will join Iloilo in Group B of the three-day football event. San Carlos, Pampanga and Bacolod squads battle it out in the Group A.
The top two teams from each group will advance to the semifinals where winners will be locking horns for the crown in the finale on the last day of the tournament on Sunday.
According to Kampeon Cup founder Anton del Rosario, the tournament is an opportunity to develop the grassroots program and discover potential booters around the country.
“There’s a lot of talent outside of the city which get overlooked. We want to provide the opportunity to those talents across the country and put them on the pedestal where everybody can see them at the top level,” said del Rosario.
“That’s what the Kampeon Cup is all about – being able to provide the opportunity to those players to showcase that ‘hey there is a future for football in the country’,” added the former Philippine Azkal.
Del Rosario shared that the Bacolod event is only a starter to Kampeon Cup’s plan of developing Filipino talents while also to foster better relations with neighboring countries.
“The goal for the Kampeon Cup along with AIA Vitality is to be an international tournament for the third edition of the tournament in March 2023,” Del Rosario said.
“We will invite teams from Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, and others to participate,” he added. “Now that will not only help the sport on a national level, but also foster better relations with our neighbors.”/PN
