The HCM Communist Youth Union and SABECO have also announced the community-based Fostering Sports project. — Photo courtesy of SABECO

HÀ NỘI — The Vietfootball Joint Stock Company (Vietfootball) and the Organising Committee of the Seven-a-Side national football competition on Thursday officially inaugurated the Seven-a-Side football competition, the Bia Saigon Cup 2022.

The year 2022 marked a new milestone for these leagues with the support of the main sponsor – Bia Saigon, a brand of the Saigon Beer-Alcohol-Beverage Corporation (SABECO).

The third season of the Seven-a-Side Vietnam Premier League – Bia Saigon Cup 2022 (VPL-S3) will expand its league to reach more people where the league will be held in five localities: Hà Nội, Đăk Lăk, Nha Trang, HCM City and Cần Thơ.

The final of this Premier League will be held in Hà Nội in September 2022.

The league was suspended for two years due to the impact of COVID-19, and it is finally able to make its return through the support and cooperation from the General Department of Physical Exercise and Sports, the Việt Nam Football Federation, Departments of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Bia Saigon, the main sponsor and other supporting and sponsoring units.

SABECO is the main sponsor for the Seven-a-side football competition – Bia Saigon Cup 2022. — Photo courtesy of SABECO

Renewed with a new title name, Bia Saigon Cup 2022 (VPL-S3) will be a bigger and more exciting league for all amateur footballers in Việt Nam. This Seven-a-Side format will offer a unique and impressive playground to all Vietnamese football lovers, and it is also a platform for them to showcase their passion, talents, and skills in football.

Phạm Ngọc Tuấn, General Director of VietFootball, said: “Developing the Seven-a-Side football format is the passion pursued by VietFootball in the past years, exemplified by the success of the HPL model. With the companionship and support from the Bia Saigon brand, the scope of the championship has been upgraded to include five regions, debuting in the Mekong Delta and Central Highlands. This marks a strong step upward in the development of VPL and the national movement.”

“We would like to extend sincere thanks to the Saigon Beer-Alcohol- Beverage Corporation for being the league's main sponsor as well as to other sponsors. We trust that this cooperation will promote the steadfast, comprehensive development of the Seven-a-Side football format, thus becoming a pillar in the development of Vietnamese football.”

Bennett Neo, General Director of SABECO, said:” Bia Saigon has always been a huge loyal supporter of football and football fans. As the exclusive beer sponsor of the Việt Nam National Football Teams, Bia Saigon is proud to continue our commitment to accompanying and supporting the success of Việt Nam’s sports by being the main sponsor of this Seven-A-Side Premier League for its 3rd season after two years of suspension due to COVID-19."

"We believe this will be a great platform to support the growth of incredible football talents in Việt Nam by giving the opportunity to reach out to more people, particularly in the provinces.”

The HCM Communist Youth Union and SABECO also announced the community “Fostering Sports” project. This is part of the 3-year cooperation framework between HCYU and SABECO (2022-24) to promote and encourage a positive lifestyle in each locality, bringing the opportunity to develop youth sports in the community.

The project will support the costs of building community sports playgrounds in 30 provinces across the country. For 2022 alone, the project will focus on supporting 10 provinces, including Khánh Hòa, Đồng Tháp. Sóc Trăng, Đắk Lắk, Bình Định, Thanh Hóa, Tuyên Quang, Bắc Giang, Nghệ An, Thái Bình.

Speaking at the event, Ngô Văn Cường, Secretary of the Central Committee of the HCM Communist Youth Union, said: "Through the recent competitions, it can be observed that few countries possess the unique connection between football and patriotic sentiment as Việt Nam, with millions of hearts beating alongside the rhythms of football and sharing its sorrow.

SABECO's decision to accompany the development of 30 football courses, especially in remote regions and regions with many struggling youths, will help to spread the spirit of football, create important institutions to fully develop human capacity as well as chances for children in remote regions to improve their health, pursue their sports ambition and nurture the spirit of devotion. This will enable them to shine in an impending future'.

Venus Teoh Kim Wei, Deputy General Director, Marketing and Communications of SABECO, at the event. — Photo courtesy of SABECO

Venus Teoh Kim Wei, Deputy General Director, Marketing and Communications of SABECO, said: “Supporting the development of culture, sports, and tourism is one of the four sustainable development pillars of SABECO."

"While we put our efforts into driving business operations and contributing to the socio-economic development of Việt Nam, we never forget our role in promoting and helping community development. We hope this project, 'Fostering Sports’ which focuses on providing safe football pitches in rural areas, will provide access to many young football lovers to play, train and pursue their love of sports, and contribute to the overall sports talent development strategy and prosperity of Việt Nam.” — VNS