Teams from Iloilo will see action in the AIA Kampeon Cup, which returns after a two-year hiatus 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.
With the return of the much-anticipated tournament, two squads will join Iloilo in Group B of the three-day football event. San Carlos, Pampanga and Bacolod squads will take against each other in Group A.
The top two teams from each group will advance to the semifinals where winners will try to win the coveted crown in the finale on the last day of the tournament on Sunday, Oct. 16.
Kampeon Cup founder Anton del Rosario said the tournament is an opportunity to develop the grassroots program and discover potential booters around the country. He also stressed that there’s a lot of talent outside of the city which get overlooked and they 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.
The former Philippine Azkal said the Bacolod event is only a starter to Kampeon Cup’s plan of developing Filipino talents while also fostering better relations with neighboring countries.
“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,” he added.
The goal of 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 revealed that they will invite teams from Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, and others to participate in the said cup.IMT Sports
