Cebu Football - More teams join Aboitiz Cup

THE addition of more categories in the 14th Aboitiz Cup enticed more teams to take part in the football tournament, which will open this Nov. 19 at the Aboitiz Sportsfield in Mandaue City.

After the registration cutoff last Saturday, 96 teams will participate in the longest running local football tournament.


This year’s number of teams increased from last year’s 80 participants because of its new categories—Players 6, Men’s Under-19, Under-23 and the women’s futsal.

Organizers added the men’s Under-19 and Under-23 in preparation for the Smart Under-19 Club Championships and Suzuki Under-23 tournament next year.

There will be nine teams competing in the Under-19 division and seven teams signed up for the Under-23 category.

Don Bosco Technological College, Abellana National School (ANS) Pomeroy, University of San Carlos (USC), Mandaue Technological Institute and Blessed John Seminary were among the nine teams listed in the Under-19.

In the Under-23, Don Bosco United Football Club, University of Cebu, ANS-Pomeroy, USC and first-timer Southwestern University will be among the teams competing.

The defending champions in the men’s open, Crazy Horse will be defending its title against 12 other teams including Don Bosco Maguni FC, Don Bosco United FC, San Roque FC and Erco.

Cebu Queen City United will also be fielding two teams in the men’s open.

The squad considers this as an exposure for its booters, who will play in the United Football League Division 2.

In the women’s futsal, it will be a match between USC and the Don Bosco Women’s team, the only teams who signed up for the event.

There are seven teams in Players 6 and 15 in Players 8. There are 20 squads competing in the Players 10, 10 teams in Boys 12, nine in Boys 14 and five in Girls 17.


Published in the Sun.Star Cebu newspaper on November 14, 2011.