Qatar Airways, FC Bayern München AG and Adidas launch Youth Cup in India

DOHA: Qatar Airways, in association with German football club giant FC Bayern München AG and Adidas, are proud to announce the sixth edition of the FC Bayern Youth Cup India 2018-19, taking place from the end of November until February 3 next year at Adidas, the Base —Plaza in New Delhi, India.

The FC Bayern Youth Cup is an under-16, seven-a-side inter-school football tournament that will pitch elite school teams from New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kolkata, Chennai and Srinagar to compete against each other, giving the budding footballers a platform to showcase their talent to win a dream trip to represent ‘Team India’ and compete in the FC Bayern Youth Cup World Finals, taking place in Munich in May 2019.

The prestigious tournament aims to spread the vision of football as a global sport that brings people together from different backgrounds and cultures. Selected players will also get a chance to watch a Bundesliga match at the iconic Allianz Arena in Munich.

Qatar Airways Senior Vice-President of Marketing and Corporate Communications, Salam Al Shawa, said: “Qatar Airways is thrilled to support the FC Bayern Youth Cup 2018-19 in India, further inspiring future generations in sports. Football as a sport has grown tremendously in India over the last decade, and with the recent FIFA U-17 World Cup tournament held in India, the sport is poised for further growth in terms of both participation and interest.

“We look forward to engaging with the club and the fans to enhance upcoming talent and make a positive difference to the growth of football in India. Sport is a key pillar of the long-term vision of the State of Qatar, and as Qatar’s national carrier, we welcome the opportunity to use sport as a means of bringing people together. It will be an honour to fly the winners of this tournament to the world finals in Munich in May 2019.”

Football legend and former FC Bayern München AG player, Bixente Lizarazu is due to visit Delhi for the national finals taking place in India in February 2019 ahead of the world finals, to encourage participants and give them a glimpse of what is in store for the winning team. Lizarazu has earned varied accolades during his career which includes six times championing the German league, winning the Champions League 2001, the World Cup 1998 and the European Champion 2000 with France.

Commenting on the sixth edition of the FC Bayern Youth Cup India, Bixente Lizarazu said: “India has surprised everybody with the talent it has produced in football, despite entering the football scene at a much later stage as football isn’t a main league sport in the country. It’s such an honour to be able to monitor the progress of these young teams, impart my learnings to the best possible extent and watch these budding talents amaze me with their skill set.”

Adidas India Senior Marketing Director, Sean Van Wyk, said: “Adidas, as a global leader in football, has been constantly taking initiatives to nurture football in India and to introduce new avenues to inspire the youth to partake in the sport.

The FC Bayern Youth Cup is one of the key initiatives that reaffirm the brand’s constant efforts to promote and nurture football at a grass root level in India. It is an opportunity for young talent to compete and test their skills in an international environment.

This year, the winning school team from the tournament will represent ‘Team India’ at the World Finals, and I am sure this will encourage the school teams to put in their best to secure a truly memorable experience that awaits them in Munich.”

أطلقت الخطوط الجوية القطرية، بالتعاون مع نادي بايرن ميونيخ الألماني لكرة القدم وأديداس، النسخة السادسة من كأس بايرن ميونيخ للشباب 2018-2019 في الهند، الذي سيقام ن نهاية نوفمبر الحالي حتى 3 فبراير، على ملعب كرة القدم الخاص بأديداس في نيودلهي.

ويعد كأس بايرن ميونيخ للشباب إحدى البطولات التي تستهدف الفئة العمرية تحت 16 عاماً، ويشهد تنافس مجموعة من فرق النخبة من المدارس من نيودلهي ومومباي وبنغالور وكولكاتا وتشيناي وسريناجار. وتشكّل هذه البطولة منصّة للاعبين الواعدين، من أجل إبراز مواهبهم، والتنافس على رحلة لتمثيل فريق الهند في نهائيات كأس بايرن ميونيخ للشباب، التي ستقام في مدينة ميونيخ مايو المقبل.

وتهدف هذه البطولة إلى تسليط الضوء على أهمية كرة القدم كرياضة تلعب دوراً مهماً في التقريب بين الشعوب من مختلف الثقافات. وقال سعادة أكبر الباكر، الرئيس التنفيذي لمجموعة الخطوط الجوية القطرية: «يسرّ الخطوط الجوية القطرية المشاركة في كأس بايرن ميونيخ للشباب 2018-2019 في الهند، والتأكيد على دعمها للأجيال المقبلة من اللاعبين الواعدين، والمساهمة في صقل مواهبهم الرياضية. لقد تطورت رياضة كرة القدم في الهند بشكل ملحوظ في العقد الأخير».;