Rico Navarro (left to right) and fellow Cebu Football Association (CFA) officials Nimrod Quiñones, Glenn Quisido, Rodney Orale and lawyer Julius Entise gather after briefing the media on CFA’s preparations for the upcoming 18th Aboitiz Football Cup. (CDN PHOTO/GLENDALE G. ROSAL)
CFA working on a smooth 18th Aboitiz Football Cup
The Cebu Football Association (CFA), which will be soon renamed as Central Visayas Regional Football Association (CVRFA), is making sure that the upcoming 18th Aboitiz Football Cup will run smoothly.
The tournament entails a major preparation as it will run for almost a year.
The 18th edition of Cebu’s longest-running football tournament aims to maintain its focus of providing Cebuanos the best football tournament, said CFA Vice President Rico Navarro.
The CFA announced that its corporate backer Aboitiz Equity Ventures will implement major changes starting next year.
Tournament Director Glenn Quisido said Aboitiz Football Cup’s current corporate backer, the Aboitiz Foundation, will partner with Aboitiz Land for the upcoming tournament, but the latter will completely take over the tournament in the next edition.
“Aboitiz Land, which has a project in Lilo-an, is planning to put up one venue aside from the five playing venues here in the city. This will help teams from northern Cebu to compete there with convenience since we are bringing the tournament to them. This is planned to be held in Don Bosco Boys Home football pitch in Lilo-an,” said Quisido in a press briefing last Friday.
Quisido was joined in the press briefing held at the CFA office by Navarro and other CFA officials Nimrod Quiñones, Rodney Orale and lawyer Julius Entise.
The five playing venues in Cebu City are Cebu City Sports Center Football pitch, San Roque Football pitch, Sacred Heart School-Ateneo de Cebu in Canduman, DBTC and PAREF Springdale.
The CFA is also planning to use the football pitch of the University of San Carlos (USC) as one of the venues.
“We are negotiating with USC. Maybe we can do the opening ceremonies there,” said Quisido.
The opening ceremony is on August 28 at the CCSC.
Navarro advised interested parties to register early, so they could plot out the schedules and grouping easily.
Quiñones said the CFA has coordinated with Cesafi football tournament director Francis Ramirez to avoid conflict of schedule.
Also, the CFA is coordinating with other tournament directors who are planning to hold a football event in Cebu.
“This is to monitor each tournament which coincides with Aboitiz Football Cup. In this way, we can iron out the schedules to prevent any conflicts on the dates of the tournament,” said Quiñones.
The tournament’s format will depend on the number of competing teams.
The Ladies Open and 45-Above will be a nine-aside competition since there are lesser teams that compete in these divisions.
The tournament will have 19 divisions. The first mandatory coaches’ meeting is slated on July 23.
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