Managers from 10 countries inspect Albena before the FAN CUP final
International high-level representatives attended the opening of the Albena Cup
High-level representatives of teams from 10 European countries attended the opening of the Albena Cup, the last national stage of the largest chain of mini-football tournaments in Bulgaria this year. Under the motto “Grab the trophy”, the record 37 teams embarked on strong battles for the trophy.
The tournament in Albena is the last qualification for participation in the Grand Final, scheduled for mid-September with international participation in this resort. For this reason, representatives of 10 European countries are these days of inspection at the resort. On the spot, they get acquainted with the conditions and regulations, with the way the matches will be organized in the fall.
Official guests of the workshop and other activities of the visit were Her Excellency Zakia El Midawi – Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Kingdom of Morocco to the Republic of Bulgaria, Andrey Kovatchev – MEP and Vice President of the European People’s Party in the European Parliament, Borislav Alexandrov – President of the European Mini football Federation, Peter Kralik – Vice President of the World Mini football Federation, Guner Cetin and Adnan Kum, Vice-mayors of the Corlu Municipality in Turkey and others.
“It is gratifying that this project has gained enormous popularity and attracted thousands. We see the great interest in the chain of tournaments in Bulgaria and the participation of so many teams here in Albena. Amateur football is one of the most popular sports and thus allows a huge number of people to be physically active. I am convinced that in September we will witness a major international celebration of sport, “said in his short greeting Andrey Kovatchev. Ambassador Zakia El Midawi also greeted the seminar participants.
The director of Albena Tour Mrs. Krassimira Stoyanova acquainted the guests with the advantages of Albena, BEAUTIFUL BY NATURE, as one of the most sporty and ecological resorts in Europe, as well as with the opportunities offered by this pearl of the Bulgarian Black Sea coast. Among the managers are representatives of the fans of the Hungarian FERENCVAROS, the Dutch VITESSE, the team of the Italian Referees Association, and others.
The regulations, rules, health measures, including COVID-19 protocols, and other details on the participation of foreign teams in the Grand Final in the autumn were discussed. The director of the Organizing Committee Mr. Anatoli Iliev answered many questions about the organization and development of the project.
The traditional Albena Cup tournament celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, and as an added bonus it will define the last two winning teams for the Grand Final of the FAN CUP in the fall. Due to a large number of participants (37 teams), the matches are played in two sessions – morning and afternoon. Quarterfinals and semifinals are scheduled for Sunday morning at 9:00 AM, the final starting at 12:00 PM, followed by the awarding and closing of the tournament.
The international tournament is scheduled for September 13-17 in Albena and will feature the best amateur teams from all over Europe. Along with the 16 Bulgarian finalists, teams from the Netherlands, Italy, Turkey, Slovenia, Romania, Hungary, Slovakia, Portugal, Croatia, Czech Republik will compete for the trophy. Details and photos can be found at www.grabnikupata.bg.
