The 2023 Chungju Apple Cup National Youth Soccer Club Festival kicked off on May 27 and 28 at the Chungju Youth Soccer Field in Chungju, Chungcheongbuk-do, South Korea.
With 85 clubs from across the country participating, the tournament attracted attention as the largest single soccer club festival ever held. The tournament added a mom division (moms with soccer players and Korean moms with children) to the existing kindergarten, first grade, second grade, third grade, fourth grade, and U12 divisions, making it a true festival that covers a wide range of generations.
The games are played 7v7 for elementary school, 5v5 for kindergarten, and 5v5 for moms, with kindergarten, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd grade games on Saturday (27th) and 4th grade, U12 (combined 5th and 6th grade), and moms on Sunday (28th).
Various awards will be given, including championship, runner-up, joint third place, fair play team, best coach, best coach, best player, best player, and best player, and the prize money will be given as a gift certificate for Chungju as a way to revitalize the local economy for the champion (300,000 won), runner-up (200,000 won), and joint third place (100,000 won).
On the 27th, the first day of the festival, the lower grade divisions (kindergarten, first grade, second grade, and third grade) competed. FC Kim Young-woo (kindergarten), Provity (first grade), DOOFC (second grade), and Gumi LMFC (third grade) won the championship 안전놀이터.
Chungju Football Association President Cho Jae-kwang said, “The 2023 Chungju Apple Cup National Youth Football Festival opened with a bang in Chungju. We were deeply moved by the fact that many teams from all over the country came to Chungju to play soccer,” said Chungju Football Association President Cho Jae-gwang. “With the opportunity of this soccer festival, we will do our best to attract various soccer events and national-level competitions in Chungju, and we will also do our best to develop the infrastructure for youth soccer in Korea.”
Mr. Moon Sung-hwan, CEO of SH Sports Agency, which organized and hosted the festival, said, “Everyone was impressed by how the young players enjoyed playing soccer despite the rainy weather. “The 2023 Chungju Apple Cup National Youth Football Festival was held with the full support of Chungju City, the Chungju Football Association, and the Chungju Volunteer Center,” said Moon. We will showcase projects that can contribute to the revitalization of the local economy by planning local sports tourism products in Chungju, which has a good geographical environment. We would like to express our deep gratitude to the teams, coaches, and parents of football clubs from all over the country who participated.”
The tournament is organized and hosted by SH Sports Agency, a total sports marketing company whose slogan is “The right to enjoy one soccer ball for everyone,” and sponsored by Chungju City, Chungju Football Association, Chungju Volunteer Center, Gangwon FC, Footballist, Pocheon Ginseng Farming Association, HIGHSOL, Ha Ha Mask, Gopchang Sanghoe, AIRDOME_SH, Minds Ground, KBS Sports Arts and Sciences Institute, Sun Medical Center, Arcobaleno Wonju, Ilhwa, One Mount, and Today’s Resort.