The
Manchester United Premier Cup South Africa finals will be staged at the Nike
Football Training Centre. Soweto in Johannesburg from 9th to 10th June.
This
year only eight of the best under-15 teams from around the country will compete
for the coveted title of Manchester United Premier Cup (MUPC) Champions, and
the opportunity to represent South Africa at the MUPC Global Finals.
The eight teams
confirmed for the Finals are:
·
Ajax
Cape Town
·
Bidvest
Wits
·
Diambars
FC
·
Izichwe
FC
·
Mamelodi
Sundowns
·
Orlando
Pirates
·
School
of Excellence
·
SuperSport
United
Qualification process
Orlando
Pirates and Bidvest Wits receive an automatic qualification as a result of
finishing first and second, respectively, in the South African Finals 2011.
Regional
play-offs were hosted earlier this year, which saw the following teams
finishing top of their regional logs: Ajax Cape Town (Western Cape), Diambers
FC (Gauteng), Izichwe FC (Kwazulu-Natal), School of Excellence and SuperSport
United (Gauteng). The only invitation to participate was extended to Mamelodi
Sundowns.
In
2011 Orlando Pirates represented South Africa once again at the MUPC Global
Finals in Manchester, United Kingdom. The young Buccaneers exceeded all
expectations in the competition and in the process became the first African
side to reach the MUPC Final and earn the privilege to compete on the hallowed
turf of Old Trafford. Although Orlando Pirates lost 1-0 to Pachuca, they
emerged as true winners of the tournament by showcasing unparalleled team
spirit even after being defeated.
This
year’s winning team will join 19 other teams from around the world at the MUPC
Global Finals to be hosted in Beijing, China, in mid-July.
The
official draw will be hosted on Friday, 8th June, with team managers and
captains only.
