THE much-awaited return of Cebu’s biggest football festival, the Thirsty Football Cup, is today, Feb. 11, at the Cebu City Sports Center, starting with three categories.
The 17th Thirsty Football Cup will kick off with the Women’s Open at 5:30 p.m., followed by the Mixed Open and the 40 and Above divisions at 7:30 p.m.
The annual football fiesta has drawn a total of 222 teams from 13 different divisions.
On Saturday, it will be the turn of the Players 9, Players 9, Players 11, Girls 15, Girls 17, Boys 13, Boys 15, and Boys 17 divisions. Finally, on Sunday will be the Men’s Open and Boys 19 categories.
Most of the participating clubs and teams are playing in the Men’s Open division with a total of 40 teams. The Boys 19, Boys 17, Boys 15, Boys 13, Players 11 and Players 9 have 20 squads each. The Ladies Open has 16 teams, while the Players 7 has 14. The Mixed Open and 40 Above divisions have 10 each, while the Girls 17 and Girls 15 categories have six each.
Twenty-seven percent of the participating teams are from outside Cebu City, the likes of Barotac, Capiz, Bacolod City, Himamaylan, San Carlos City, Dumaguete, Butuan, Davao, Panglao, Maasin, Palapag, Argao, Talisay and Badian.
Elite football schools like Don Bosco Technical College, Sacred Heart-Ateneo de Cebu, University of San Carlos, Paref-Springdale and Abellana National School are also seeing action in the tournament.