Stars Of Youth Football To Compete In Dubai As Local Qualifying For Inaugural Mina Cup Gets Underway

19 October 2021

Football's stars of tomorrow will begin their bids to compete in the first-ever Mina Cup, as qualifying for the youth club competition kicks off next month.

Established with the goal of becoming the world's leading youth football tournament, the Mina Cup will give a stage to top class talent from the Middle East, Europe, Asia and Africa.

The inaugural edition of the tournament, which will include 64 teams across four age groups (U12, U14, U16, U18), takes place in April 2022 - and fans can get their first look at the local teams vying for places during the UAE qualifying stage.

Those matches, featuring the likes of IJF Academy, GoPro, Fursan Hispania & City FC, will be played from 5th-6th November at the JA Sports Centre & Shooting Club in Dubai. 

Umbro, Lacnor, Oasis Water, Socaloca and Mediclinic have signed up as official partners, with organisers also working with Dubai Sports Council.

Supporters and families who won't be able to watch from the sidelines - or just want to enjoy the best of the action again - can see it on ground-breaking sports video platform Recast. Tournament organisers have partnered with the UK-based platform to bring exclusive match highlights, interviews and behind the scenes content direct from the qualifiers. 

Already working with several high-profile rights holders and sports bodies, helping to maximise their earning potential from highlights, in-play clips and live events, Recast allows rights’ holders to go direct-to-consumer and connects fans to their content via a subscription-free app, providing an innovative way to catch the action all in one place.

Chris Brown, Mina Cup founder, said: "We are delighted to be bringing together some of the world's most promising youth footballers to begin the journey to the MINA Cup, starting with the local qualifiers.

"We believe this tournament can earn its place as the premier global youth football competition, building on the success of the likes of the Milk Cup in Ireland and Gothia Cup in Sweden. With the first-class facilities and appetite for the sport in the UAE, it can be a real springboard, giving local teams the chance to go up against international counterparts.

"I am excited to see the players compete during these qualifiers, and for fans all over to get closer to the action and support the up-and-coming stars at their clubs through our partnership with Recast."

Andy Meikle, founder and CEO of Recast, said: “Having grown up in Dubai, I know that, with its second-to-none facilities and culture, it will be the perfect host to a tournament like the Mina Cup, which is all about vibrancy, excitement and showcasing young talent. 

"We are delighted to be bringing content from the first local matches directly to fans, families and other players alike through Recast, and in a way which will help grow the competition by monetising this content effectively. The tournament organisers have big plans for the future, and we are pleased to be helping them bring them to life."

For more information on the Mina Cup, visit the website

Fans can now follow the MINA Cup Recast Channel by visiting - www.recast.app/minacup