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Lunar New Year Cup
SportHong Kong

Lunar New Year Cup will go ahead despite reluctance of overseas teams to play in Hong Kong

  • The worst-case scenario may see two local sides play against each other in the January tournament
  • The annual Interport Cup against Guangdong is also put on hold because of the situation in Hong Kong

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China’s Shandong Luneng players celebrate winning the 2019 Lunar New Year Cup. Photo: Dickson Lee
Chan Kin-wa
The Lunar New Year Cup is likely to be reduced to two local sides with no foreign teams so far showing interest because of the social unrest that has plagued Hong Kong for more than six months.
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The anti-government protests have also hit the annual Interport Cup against Guangdong, which has been put on hold because mainland players are reluctant to travel to Hong Kong.

Hong Kong Football Association chairman Pui Kwan-kay said they faced a difficult situation because of deadlines for the Lunar New Year event in January but promised to ensure the tournament would still go ahead.

“We have made inquiries to some foreign teams but there is little feedback,” said Pui after the association’s board meeting on Thursday. “If any overseas team wants to come at this stage, we definitely welcome them.

Spanish striker Fernando Torres played with Sagan Tosu at last year’s Lunar New Year Cup. Photo: Dickson Lee
Spanish striker Fernando Torres played with Sagan Tosu at last year’s Lunar New Year Cup. Photo: Dickson Lee
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“We do worry because time is running very short but no one can make any guarantees under the current social situation. Many sporting events have already been cancelled.

“We can still stage the event with the worst-case scenario being to go back to a competition between two local sides such as a League XI against the Hong Kong representative team, which has happened before.”

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