To Russia, with love: KIA launches 2018 Champ into the Arena tournament
In conjunction with its global partnership to FIFA and as one of the main sponsors of the 2018 FIFA World Cup™ in Russia, KIA Motors South Africa will once again host the hugely popular KIA Champ into the Arena amateur football tournament.
Image Supplied by KIA Motors South Africa
The KIA Champ into the Arena amateur 5-a-side soccer tournament is hosted by multiple countries across the globe in conjunction with major FIFA events in an attempt to discover the best amateur soccer talent, and to celebrate their talent and skill on a global stage. The winning team in each country’s national finals round has the opportunity to represent their country in the KIA Champ into the Arena World Finals, competing for the ultimate glory of being crowned global champions.
“KIA is very excited to once again host the KIA Champ into the Arena amateur soccer tournament,” says David Sieff, Marketing Director, KIA Motors South Africa. “South Africa has exceptional talent in the soccer arena, and it’s a fantastic opportunity to not only celebrate our homegrown players, but to give them an opportunity to compete in an international tournament.”
The tournament is open to all players over the age of 18, with each team limited to entering six players (five players and one reserve). Tournaments will take place regionally, with up to 64 teams per region competing for a place in the national final.
Regional finals will take place on the following dates:
-
18 March 2018 in Johannesburg (Discovery Soccer Park, Wanderers Club, Illovo)
-
8 April 2018 in Cape Town (Evolution Sports Arena, Athlone)
-
15 April 2018 in Durban (Stella Action Soccer, Glenwood)
The national finals is scheduled to take place in Johannesburg, also at Discovery Soccer Park, on 21 April 2018.
“Over the years we have seen truly exceptional players and teams participate in Champ into the Arena,” says Christo Valentyn, Public Relations & Product Marketing Manager, KIA Motors South Africa. “Our winning team from 2017, who participated in the World Finals as part of the FIFA Confederations Cup in Russia, made it all the way to the finals before being placed second in a penalty shootout. It’s this kind of grit and determination that makes the Champ into the Arena tournament stand out, and we’re very excited to again see the best of the best play their way to Russia.”
Entries close one week before each of the regional tournaments, or sooner should capacity be reached. Teams will be notified of their places the Monday before the tournament. Teams that enter will go through a selection process to ensure that only the best teams in the country are on display for their chance to represent KIA South Africa in Russia. The tournament is expected to be oversubscribed so teams are encouraged to enter early should they fancy their chances.
The entry form is available online by clicking on the KIA Champ into the Arena banner on the KIA website (www.kia.co.za) or by visiting www.kiachamp.co.za.
