Chance for amateurs to play in Man Utd headquarters

The top team in the inter-city round would earn the ticket to England,not only to compete against amateur footballers from other countries but also to access Manchester United’s training facilities at Carrington and an exclusive tour of the Old Trafford club’s premises.

The national finals,comprising two qualifying teams each from Bangalore,Goa and Hyderabad and one each from Mumbai and Pune,would be held at Hyderabad on March 27 and 28.

A Mumbai team of amateurs had won the berth last year,the first time the competition was held in India,and lived their dream,the promoters of the event said.

“The chance to play on the same turf as superstars like Carlos Tavez,Wayne Rooney and Christiano Ronaldo is a fantastic opportunity for football fans,” Crown Beers India Limited Sales and Marketing Director Rob Newman said.

Newman said that presently the multinational was concentrating only on holding competitions in west and south India where they have a presence but once the market grows for their brand the football event would also become bigger.

Squads will consist of eight players with six on the pitch and two substitutes and each match would last for only fifteen minutes on a quarter-sized regulation field.