The 17th Edition of the Mediterranean Cup, the annual Youth Football Tournament organised by the San Gwann Youth Football Nursery with the support and collaboration of the San Gwann Local Council and the Mediterranean Bank will kick-off on Saturday.

This ten-day showcase of local Youth Football will see the participation of no fewer than 700 young footballers forming 43 teams and representing 19 Local football Nurseries who will be playing over 110 games, making the event the largest Annual Youth Football activity on the Island.

The teams will make up 6 sections representing six age groups ranging from the Under eights to the Under 13’s. Regretfully the international flavour now accustomed with this event had to be forfeited at the last moment when a team from Italy and another from Thailand, who were due to participate in the Under 10 and Under 12 sections respectively both withdrew, even after the draws had already been done. Thankfully the organizers managed to replace these two teams locally.

The participating nurseries, apart from the hosts, are Pietà Hotspurs, Floriana, Hamrun Spartans, Tarxien Rainbows, Mqabba, Qormi, Sliema Wanderers, Dingli Swallows, Luxol St. Andrews, Rabat Ajax, Pembroke Athleta, Birkirkara, Paola Hibs, St. Patrick, Melita, Mosta, Kirkop United and Birzebbugia Windmills.

The Tournament runs for the full ten days till the 26th of April, with the exception of the 22nd April, being Good Friday.

Minister for Education, Works and the Family Hon. Dolores Cristina will kick off the tournament in the presence of Hon. Leo Brincat, San Gwann Mayor Etienne Bonello Dupuis and Malta Football Association Chief Executive Bjorn Vassallo.

A number of internationally recognized players have participated in the San Gwann Annual Tournament throughout its history, amongst which are practically the entire Malta Nation team squad, Alexander Kolarov, who plays for Manchester City, and Milos Ninkovic who is currently with Dynamo Kiev.