Football
PFF renames Alcantara Cup to Peace Cup
InterAKTV/Markku Seguerra
The Philippine Football Federation has renamed the four-nation tournament featuring the Philippine national men’s football team in September to the Philippine Football Peace Cup.
The competition was originally named the Paulino Alcantara Peace Cup, after the Filipino-Spanish mestizo who starred for FC Barcelona over a century ago.
PFF changed the name of the tournament because the Philippine Sports Commission, which operates the Rizal Football Stadium where games will be played, has a rule against events named after an individual.
However, PFF president Mariano Araneta said the tournament will still be dedicated to Alcantara and is in line with their observance of the peace month this September. Recently, the Azkals were named ambassadors for peace by the Philippine government.
“We join the nation in celebrating Peace Month this September by naming the tournament the Philippine Football Peace Cup,” Araneta said in a statement.
The Azkals will face Guam on September 25, Macau on September 27, and Chinese Taipei on September 29 in a round-robin format. The team with the best record wins the tournament.
Aside from improving their world ranking which currently sits at 150, the Azkals will also use the four-nation meet to prepare for the 2012 ASEAN Football Federation Suzuki Cup in November.
