SuperCupNI 2020 has been cancelled

The famed SuperCupNI youth football tournament has been cancelled for the first time in 38 years.

 

Football in Northern Ireland has been suspended indefinitely due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the STATSports SuperCupNI which was scheduled to take place in the first week of August has become the latest casuality.

 

In last week’s Tyrone Herald chairman of the Tyrone SuperCupNI Association Francie Devine confirmed that organisers had sought feedback from the county set-ups and said it was unlikely the competition would go ahead.

 

That was made official today and tournament chairman Victor Leonard said it was a “heartbreaking” decision.

 

“We left it as long as possible but with the ongoing uncertainty over the road map ahead for sport in general during the current situation globally, we knew the 2020 event would not be feasible,” said Leonard.

 

“I know there are many disappointed footballers from around the world who had been pinning their hopes on joining us this summer and our own local footballers were looking forward to pitting their skills against these players from different countries but their safety and that of our supporters and tournament staff is paramount at all times.”

 

The tournament, which was first staged in 1983, is now a major tourist attraction and traditionally brings competitors in three age groups from north, south and central America, Europe, Asia, Africa, the Far East as well as Australia and New Zealand. It was formerly known as the Milk Cup.

 

FULL STORY IN MONDAY’S tYRONE HERALD