WRITE THE FUTURE

In an effort to celebrate the global diversity of football this summer, Nike Malaysia launched Nike Cup Kuala Lumpur 2010 in May to inspire youths to compete and be crowned city champions. Calling upon aspiring athletes aged 14 to 19 years old, Nike Cup Kuala Lumpur is a fast paced five-on-five football tournament set against the urban backdrop of Kuala Lumpur’s most recognizable landscapes. The tournament will see more than 12,000 young footballers battle it out for a chance to experience and train in Granja Comary, the Brazilian national team’s home in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.

“With a focus on 40 cities in 28 countries, Nike is igniting a global celebration of football as we head into sports biggest event this summer. Nike Cup Kuala Lumpur aims to amplify football with local elements that celebrate the identity of our city and give our youths an unforgettable tournament experience,” said Menaha Nadaraja, Marketing Manager, Nike Malaysia.

Recruitment for the Nike Cup Kuala Lumpur began in early May and is free-of-charge to participants. Players will need to form teams of five to compete in the street-styled tournament without referees or goalkeepers.

The competition is divided into two categories; Under 16 comprising youths aged 14-16 years and Under-19 for participants between 17 – 19 years. The senior team will be battling it out to win the top honour of training in Brazil whilst the junior category can look forward to a three-month training program with the Brasil Futsal Academy in Malaysia.

“To-date, we’ve completed two qualifying zones, Bukit Bintang Plaza rooftop & KL Sentral outdoor car park, that saw over 900 teams comprising 4,500 young footballers took to the courts to earn the right to call themselves the champions of urban football. A total of 120 teams have qualified for the Grand Finals to be held on 3rd July 2010 at Dataran Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur,” continued Menaha.

A total of four qualifiers will be held at the venues listed below:-
• Bandar Baru Sentul – 5th & 6th June 2010
• Pandan Indah LRT Station – 12th & 13th June 2010
• Stadium Shah Alam – 19th & 20th June 2010
• Pasar Seni LRT Station – 26th & 27th June 2010.

The finals of the Nike Cup Kuala Lumpur 2010 will feature 360 of the best teams across the Klang Valley and will be held alongside the iconic Bangunan Sultan Abdul Samad building at Dataran Merdeka on 3rd July 2010. To add to the festivities, footballers who have participated in the tournament will be trested to an outdoor concert headlines by Indonesian band Nidji alongside local artists such as Bunkface, Pesawat and Popshuvit to name a few.