Chandigarh Football Academy to represent India at global finals

Mumbai, June 6 (UNI) Chandigarh Football Academy was today crowned as the India winner of the 'adidas + CHALLENGE' football tournament and, thus, earned the right to represent India at the global finals in Berlin from July 1 to 4.

The tourney is one of the largest in the world at the under-16 level and travelled to seven cities--Hyderabad, Bangalore, Goa, Mumbai, Delhi, Chandigarh and Kolkata--in India. Close to 700 teams have participated in the tournament, which saw over 2,000 skill-zone participants and around 4,200 participants in all.

The seven finalists included City Club from Hyderabad, 5 Star for Bangalore, MSSA Rangers from Mumbai, Vasco Sports Club from Goa, Chandigarh Football Academy from Chandigarh, Vikaspuri D-Block from Delhi and Kachra Para High School from Kolkata. Chandigarh Football Academy was adjudged the winner at the finals held in Kolkata on May 28, a release issued here today said.

The first of its kind initiative, 'adidas + CHALLENGE' has invited young Indian football enthusiasts to celebrate the wonderful sport of football in the run-up to the 2006 World Cup. The other co-sponsors for the event included ESPN STAR Sports and Phoney Tunes and TV partner Hungama.

The global grassroots programme started with a tournament in Rio de Janeiro in January and is being followed by local initiatives in over 40 countries. In Asia, adidas + CHALLENGE is taking place in 12 countries - Australia, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand and India, the release added.

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