🇳🇦NamibiaSouthern Africa
Acfa Football Academy to compete in Mad Cup 2026 in Spain
via The Namibian2 min read
The Athletic Club Football Academy Acfa from Windhoek, Namibia, is sending 50 young footballers and eight officials to Madrid, Spain, next week to participate in the Mad Cup 2026. The academy will be represented by its under-12, under-14, and under-15 teams in the tournament, which runs from June 18 to 25 and is expected to host over 800 teams globally. According to Ricky Averia, Acfa's technical director, their participation follows successful trips to the Gothia Cup in Sweden and the Dana Cup in Denmark last year. The academy, departing Namibia on June 17, has been preparing for nearly a year, with a dedicated travel committee handling fundraising, visa applications, and logistics. The Mad Cup, organized in partnership with Atletico Madrid, is anticipated to feature youth teams from major European clubs like Real Madrid, Barcelona, Juventus, and Porto. Averia emphasized that these tournaments are crucial for player development, offering not only football enhancement but also life skills. For many of the young players, approximately half of the traveling squad, this will be their first time leaving Namibia. Acfa is actively seeking sponsors to ensure that talented players are not excluded due to financial constraints, aiming to provide opportunities to experience different football cultures. While competitive, the tournament will also serve as a benchmark for the academy's progress against international opposition. Averia highlighted that international tournaments help creat
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Namibian.
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