Lunar New Year Cup to feature local sides only as protests scare off overseas clubs
- HKFA wants the traditional showpiece to continue despite the lukewarm response from overseas clubs
- The tournament will feature just one match between the Hong Kong national side and the Hong Kong League XI
This month’s Lunar New Year Cup will be an all-Hong Kong affair featuring local sides because of the social unrest plaguing the city, according to HKFA chief Pui Kwan-kay.
The FA had no choice but to field two local representative sides because of the ongoing protests that have seriously affected the city for the past seven months and one match – the Hong Kong national side vs the Hong Kong League XI – has been slated for January 26 at Mong Kok Stadium.
The HKFA has been struggling to secure teams for the annual showpiece after last year’s organisers, Premier League club Pegasus, pulled out last month.
“In the past, we always had teams from nearby countries who showed interest coming to Hong Kong during this period but not this year,” said Pui after a special meeting at the HKFA headquarters in Ho Man Tin on Tuesday. “One of the reasons why we know this is so is because of the current political situation in Hong Kong. It won’t attract any overseas teams.”
The Chinese Super League, a keen supporter of the event in past years, also showed little interest due to the political tensions between Hong Kong and the mainland.
