WITH the closure of the Aboitiz Sports Field, the biggest football tournament in Cebu, the Aboitiz Football Cup, is left without a home.
The Aboitiz Football Field will be developed into a mixed-used district.
Despite losing one of the best venues for football in Cebu, the Cebu Football Association (CFA) is still optimistic and believes that the annual football meet will still go on without a hitch.
“We fully understand the circumstances and are fully grateful for all the years that the Aboitiz Sports Field has served as a valuable partner in football. But the show will and must go on. We will work with all other venues that are available in Cebu.
We just need to be flexible, resourceful and creative in our venue management and calendaring of tournaments,” CFA vice-president Rico Navarro told Sun.Star Cebu.
There are still some football pitches wherein the CFA can hold the upcoming season of the Aboitiz Football Cup. One is the Cebu City Sports Center, which by far is one of the best football venues aside from the Aboitiz Sports Field. Another is the Don Bosco Technology Center, which also held Aboitiz Football Cup games last season. There is also the San Roque field.
The University of San Carlos football stadium is still under construction.
“All possible venues that can be used. We will reach out to all,” said Navarro.
The CFA is looking to open the upcoming Aboitiz Football Cup season this November and will run up until March.
The Aboitiz Football Cup is biggest football tournament in Cebu. Last year’s tournament had 14 different divisions including thousands of football players of different ages from seven year olds to 40-year-olds.