As many as 128 teams of six-man football in Vietnam will be competing this month and April to win the right to represent the country in the 2010 Budweiser International Cup 6V6 this summer in South Africa, the host country for the FIFA World Cup.
Vietnam, in their first participation in the 2009 Budweiser International Cup 6V6 staged at the Old Trafford Stadium, home of English Premier League powerhouse Manchester United, took the silver medal after losing to Argentina on penalty shoot-out.
The Vietnam Football Federation and Budweiser Beer held a draw for the 128 participating teams on Mar. 3 in Ho Chi Minh City.
They will compete from March 7 to April 4. The qualifying rounds are set for March 7 in Hanoi, March 13 in Danang, March 21 in Nha Trang and March 27 in Ho Chi Minh City.
The top eight – two from each city – will advance to the national finals on April 4 at the Thong Nhat Stadium in Ho Chi Minh City, with the winning team earning a trip to South Africa.
“This year’s installment is especially significant because the grass-roots nature of the event couldn’t be more evident,” said Walter Blocker, CEO of the Gannon Group, authorized distributor of Budweiser in Vietnam.
“Last year, it was only open to teams in Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi. Now, the best in Danang and Nha Trang have a chance. The ‘King of Beers’ is proud to be playing such a big role in a campaign that makes dreams come true,” he added.
When in South Africa, Team Vietnam will face off July 1 against representatives from nine other countries, such as China, Brazil and Germany, in the Budweiser International Cup in Pretoria. The team will also watch two World Cup Round-of-16 matches in person.
