Banyoles, Spain, is set to host the Pre-MICFootball tournament next week, welcoming youth clubs from the United States, Canada, Brazil and Japan. The competition, scheduled for Tuesday, March 31st, at the Camp d’Esports Municipal Nou (Miquel Coromina i Moretó), serves as a warm-up for the 24th edition of the MIC (Mercat de Futbol), a larger youth soccer tournament taking place across 45 municipalities in the Girona region from April 1st to 5th, coinciding with the Easter holiday.
The Pre-MICFootball tournament will feature cadet (U15 and U16) teams, providing a valuable opportunity for international competition and preparation ahead of the main MIC event. This year’s participating clubs include the Oakville Jaguars Soccer Academy from Canada, PSA Mounmouth from the United States, Elleve Soccer from Brazil, and Wakatake from Japan. They will join local hosts Club Esportiu Banyoles and Atlètic Club Banyoles, who are familiar faces in the tournament.
“We are very proud of our collaboration with Banyoles and believe it is a positive competition for all parties involved,” stated Maite Colomer, director of MICFootball. “Year after year, we reaffirm that it is a success to offer the opportunity to play a small preliminary tournament to those teams that come from further away and arrive with more days to spare.”
The tournament is also seen as a boon for the local community. Jordi Congost, the sports councilor for the Banyoles Town Hall, expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “It is always a pleasure to be able to hold this inaugural day with teams from other parts of the world so that the clubs in our municipality can play against players from other places and experience other ways of understanding football. We thank the MIC organization for being able to count on North American and Brazilian teams. For us, it has become a traditional festival in the city’s sporting activities.”
Matches in the first phase of the Pre-MICFootball tournament will begin on Tuesday, March 31st, at 4:00 PM local time (4:00 PM CET / 10:00 AM EDT). Each match will be 25 minutes long. The six participating teams will be divided into two groups. The opening matches will see CE Banyoles take on the Oakville Jaguars, and Atlètic Banyoles face off against Elleve Soccer. Following the group stage, the top teams from each group will advance to the final, scheduled for 7:15 PM local time (7:15 PM CET / 1:15 PM EDT).
Banyoles itself is known for its beautiful lake and welcoming atmosphere, making it an ideal location for youth sporting events. The Camp d’Esports Municipal Nou de Banyoles, where the Pre-MICFootball will be held, features an artificial turf surface, electronic scoreboard, standing room-only grandstands, limited Wi-Fi coverage, a defibrillator for medical emergencies, and on-site parking. The field is located at pg. Darder, 72, in Banyoles, Girona province, with coordinates 42.115734, 2.75405.
The MICFootball tournament, and its precursor the Pre-MICFootball, have become significant events on the youth soccer calendar, attracting teams and players from around the globe. The opportunity to compete against international opposition provides invaluable experience for young athletes and fosters a spirit of camaraderie and cultural exchange. The event also provides a boost to the local economy in Banyoles and the surrounding Girona region.
For those interested in following the Pre-MICFootball tournament, updates and results will be available through the MICFootball official channels. The larger MIC tournament, running from April 1st to 5th, will feature even more teams and matches across the Girona region, offering a comprehensive showcase of youth soccer talent.
The next confirmed checkpoint is the start of the Pre-MICFootball tournament on Tuesday, March 31st, at 4:00 PM CET. Stay tuned to Archysport for further updates and coverage of the MICFootball tournament in Girona.
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