Women's Team Make Soccer Sevens Debut
The Hong Kong Football Club will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the HKFC Soccer Sevens with the launch of the first Women's Tournament taking place during the 2024 edition of the event, running from 24-26 May.
Eight women's teams from across Hong Kong and Macau will go head-to-head in the inaugural competition, joining the 26 teams in the Main Event and the Masters Tournament at HKFC's headquarters at Sports Road.
"We're delighted to confirm the launch of the first HKFC Soccer Sevens Women's Tournament and hope through this initiative we can play a role in further developing the women's game, both in Hong Kong and beyond," says HKFC Soccer Sevens Organising Committee Chairman, Scott Semple."
We look forward to welcoming those participating in this landmark event and have ambitions to grow the competition in a manner similar to how the Main Event and the Masters Tournament have become world renowned since their launch in 1999.
"Women's football is gaining increased attention globally, as we saw last year with record attendance and viewing figures for the FIFA Women's World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, while Hong Kong already holds a special place within the women's game in Asia."
Organising the HKFC Standard Chartered Soccer Sevens Women's Tournament will be another first for a city that has a significant track record in promoting and developing the women's game for more than 50 years. Hong Kong was home to the ground-breaking Asian Ladies Football Confederation when it was founded in 1968 and the city played host to the inaugural Asian Women's Championship in 1975.
The competition, now known as the AFC Women's Asian Cup, was held in Hong Kong on three subsequent occasions, in 1981, 1986 and 1989, to cement the city's status as being integral to the women's game in Asia.
The first-ever HKFC Soccer Sevens Women's Tournament will feature Grace Citizen, Chelsea FC Soccer School, Kitchee, Sha Tin Sport Association, Soar 247 FC, WSE (Woofoo Social Enterprises), Hong Kong Football Club and the Macau Football Association.
Andy Cheung, Head Coach of Kitchee Women's Team said: "Women's soccer has been popular around the globe for decades, and it's gaining traction across Asia, especially in Hong Kong in recent years, so I am really grateful to learn that there will be a new addition of women's competition in this year's Soccer Sevens.
As the Kitchee Women's Team Head Coach, I can say that this new competition is not only a platform for the girls and women to compete at the highest levels, but also allows those soccer enthusiasts to dream of things bigger than themselves and believe in their capabilities. This competition is going to be a great, and I am really looking forward to it."
The draw for this year's event will be conducted at the Hong Kong Football Club on April 12 and the action will kick off with the Women's Tournament and Masters Tournament on May 24. The Main Men's Event on May 25, with all three competitions running through until May 26.
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