Following the success of inaugural event in 2016, MoneyGram launched the second edition of GOAL football tournament in Guangzhou. This year, the competition will be expanded to a 7-a-side tournament to enable more footballers with African origin to take part. GOAL tournament will run for three consecutive Saturdays and culminate in Grand Finals on June 10.
The MoneyGram GOAL tournament is aimed at bringing structured football competition to the African communities who have a strong affiliation and passion for the game. Following the success of the first edition of GOAL launched last year with 32 African teams competing for the cash prize and the trophy, in 2017 MoneyGram is expanding this fantastic opportunity for the community.
The second edition has also added a legendary footballer, Obafemi Martins, currently playing for Shanghai Shenhua team in China, as tournament’s ambassador. He is a truly global supporter of the GOAL tournament as the captain of the Nigerian national team and a footballer who had played across the world for some of the most renowned clubs. Obafemi Martins will officially open the GOAL tournament on May 27, where he will also coach the participating teams.
“It is an honour to be an ambassador for MoneyGram’s GOAL tournament in Guangzhou. It is great to see MoneyGram supporting football competition for our African community. I look forward to being a part of this initiative and helping it move forward,” said Obafemi Martins.
The tournament will award a trophy and the Grand Prize of USD 5,000 to the winning team. All the best African teams in Guangzhou are invited to enter this competition and battle for the prestigious champion’s title.
“As football plays such an important role in the everyday life of the African community, there is no better platform to bring those people closer across continents,” says Sabrina Chan, MoneyGram’s marketing director, Asia Pacific. “MoneyGram has showed its commitment to football by expanding the tournament and bringing in a legendary African player as an ambassador. This will certainly help to establish the MoneyGram brand in the minds of the African community in Guangzhou and their families back home,” added Chan.
Registration for MoneyGram GOAL opens on Saturday, May 6 and closes on Wednesday, May 24. It will be available at selected MoneyGram agent locations, at the venue of ALL IN Football Ground, 170 Xingandong Road or by phone at 0 135-4431-3238. A maximum of 50 teams can take part in this tournament. Each team can have 8-10 players coming from any African country.
