The first Blue Cubs League organized by South United Football Club is about to start in Pune

42 teams will participate in three age groups.

South United Football Club (SUFC), which competes in Karnataka's top division and also recently launched three training centers in Pune, has agreed to host a football league for children in Pune. is ready, which will be known as 'SUFC Blue Cubs League'. A total of 42 teams from 16 city-based academies across three age groups (Under-7/Under-9/Under-11) will participate in this league which is scheduled to commence from April 07, 2024 at the Ganga Legends Sports Complex in Bavdhan here .

Spanning six weeks, the All India Football Federation (AIFF) sanctioned league will provide an excellent opportunity for emerging football talents in Pune, which also aligns well with SUFC's vision of supporting the development of grassroots football in the city. corresponds to.

Top names that have entered the competition include Total Football Academy, Forza Deccan, City FC Pune and Diego Junior FC. Host SUFC teams have entered all three age groups.

The roster for the first day has 36 matches across three age groups, with the first three games starting together at 7.30am.

Speaking about the initiative, Mr. Terry Phelan, Sports Director, South United Sports Foundation, said, “At SUFC, grassroots development has been our primary objective since day one. There is immense talent in football in Pune and it is important to identify and nurture it early. Such tournaments will serve as an important platform to identify young talent and inculcate the values of teamwork and sportsmanship at an early age. We believe SUFC is the ideal host for this league due to the coaching standards of our academy and state-of-the-art infrastructure.”

The league will be played on April 7, 13 and 28 and May 4 and 5 and will follow the league-cum-knockout format. The 14 teams in each category will be divided into two groups of seven each, with the top four qualifying for the quarter-finals.