Lunar New Year Cup set for a boost after increased funding makes HK$10 million available to attract bigger clubs
- Kitchee use the scheme to secure additional funding for international friendly against Premier League champions Manchester City this summer
- Vice chairman Pui Kwan-kay wants stronger teams for Lunar New Year Cup with government financial backing
Hong Kong Football Association vice chairman Pui Kwan-kay wants a stronger New Lunar Year Cup after the government expanded the “M” Mark funding scheme to include exhibition events.
Pui, who will become chairman of the association after next month’s election as the only candidate for the position, said he would seek public funding to help strengthen the tournament, traditionally the city’s biggest football event, held to celebrate the Chinese New Year during the holiday.
“The tournament has never received any financial support from the government, making it difficult for the Association to bring in quality teams in recent years,” said Pui. “On some occasions, we even asked individual clubs to organise the tournament, but they face the same difficulties under financial constraints. But with the expansion of the “M” Mark scheme, hopefully this can be changed when we stage the next Lunar New Cup during the Chinese New Year.”
Previously, the government’s “M” Mark event, inaugurated in 2004, supported only world-class level events held in Hong Kong that are sanctioned by the sport’s world governing body. This includes world championships, world cup series or a leg of world class series or world tours, intercontinental championships or equivalent events that involve the participation of world-leading teams or athletes, who will be able to gain points to elevate their world rankings.
The Lunar New Year Cup, an exhibition tournament, would not fill that criteria although it had strong financial support from tobacco and brewery companies during its early years.
