Launching the National SOS Children's Villages Children's Football Tournament

This morning (May 30), in Da Nang, Nhi Dong Newspaper (Central Committee of Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union) coordinated with the National SOS Children's Villages and the sponsor, the Oil and Gas Drilling and Services Corporation, to hold a press conference on the National SOS Children's Villages Children's Football Tournament, PVD Cup 2011.

Participating in this tournament, there are 12 football teams from 12 SOS Children's Villages nationwide. Accordingly, the Organizing Committee of the tournament has drawn lots to divide them into 4 groups, group A (Da Nang, Ben Tre, Hanoi); group B (Ho Chi Minh City, Thanh Hoa, Viet Tri); group C (Nha Trang, Da Lat, Ca Mau) and group D (Vinh, Dong Hoi, Hai Phong).

The sponsor presented the Cup to the Organizing Committee of the National SOS Children's Villages Children's Football Tournament PVD Cup 2011.

Mr. Tran Quang Dao, Editor-in-Chief of Nhi Dong Newspaper, Head of the Organizing Committee, said that the tournament was organized with the hope that orphans living in 12 SOS Children's Villages nationwide would have an interesting summer sports playground. Since 2006, the tournament has not only attracted the attention of society but also helped orphans to somewhat erase their inferiority complex. Through the tournament, the children will have more confidence in life and have the will to rise up and become useful citizens for the country.

With that same meaning, over the past three years, the Oil and Gas Drilling and Services Corporation has volunteered to become the exclusive sponsor, accompanying the tournament. Mr. Ho Trong Thoai, representing the sponsor, said that up to now, the sponsor has accompanied Nhi Dong Newspaper through three seasons. The Oil and Gas Drilling and Services Corporation will commit to sponsoring the tournament from 2009 to the end of 2013. During the tournament, the sponsor will coordinate with the Organizing Committee to arrange food and accommodation for all teams and support fuel and accommodation for round trip.

The Organizing Committee is drawing lots to divide the groups into 12 teams.

The National SOS Children's Villages Football Tournament PVD Cup 2011 will open at 8:00 a.m. (May 31) and end on the afternoon of June 5 (at Military Zone 5 Stadium, No. 7, Duy Tan, Da Nang City).

The competition format is according to the rules of indoor 5-a-side football. Players aged 11 and over (born before 1/1/1998) will be allowed to participate. 12 teams in 4 groups will compete in a round robin, selecting the 1st and 2nd teams to enter the quarter-finals. The winning teams in the finals will play the semi-finals and the two winning teams in the semi-finals will play the final to compete for the championship.

According to GD&TĐ