FIFTEEN football associations in Mindanao will compete in the 1st Mindanao Cup on October 22 to 25, 2019 at the Tionko Football Field in Davao City.
These are Agusan del Sur Football Association, Bukidnon Football Association, Butuan-Agusan del Norte Football Association, Cagayan de Oro-Misamis Oriental, Golden Davao Regional Football Association, North Davao Regional Football Association, Davao Regional Football Association, Iligan-Lanao del Norte-Lanao del Sur Regional Football Association, Maguindanao Regional Football Association, South Cotabato-Sarangani-General Santos Football Association, Mount Apo Regional Football Association, Sultan Kudarat Football Association, Surigao del Norte and Dinagat Islands Regional Football Association, Zamboanga del Norte-Dipolog Football Association, and Zamboanga del Sur-Pagadian Regional Football Association.
Tournament commissioner Noel Presto said they catered children aged 10, 11, and 12 years old.
The Mindanao Cup is organized by the Negros Occidental Football Association (Nofa) and the Davao Regional Football Association.
The Mindanao football tournament will follow a 9-side format and a spin-off of the Nofa Invitational Cup.
Nofa administrator Lyca Jochico said their organization has been holding football tournaments since 2015.
"For the past four years, we noticed that Mindanao, although it has the most number of football associations in the country, sya ang pinakagamay nga number of teams nga naga participate sa amoang Nofa Cup (We observed that Mindanao despite having the most number of football teams in the country, it has the least number of teams joining the Nofa Cup)," Jochico said.
"Our president Ricky Yason decided to bring it here in Mindanao para ma-experience nila ang football tournament," she added.
Each delegation is composed of 14 players and two team officials. They are expected to arrive and be screened today.
The teams will be billeted at the Davao City National High School.