Auckland footballers travel to London

26 April 2016

Inaugural AIA Championship sees Auckland footballers travel to London

A few lucky Auckland football players have the chance of a lifetime to play at Tottenham Hotspurs home ground in London this May, after acing the semi-finals of the inaugural AIA Championship last month in Hong Kong.

The AIA Championship was launched January this year, is part of AIA’s long-term partnership with English Premier League team, Tottenham Hotspur.

The competition is the first of an annual football tournament open to all AIA markets. It involved local qualifying tournaments and regional play offs which were held in Hong Kong, and saw AIA teams from ten markets across the Asia-Pacific region battling for a place in the final.

The AIA New Zealand team is made up of players aged between 20 and 25 years old from the Birkenhead United Club in Auckland, and sponsored by Harcourts Cooper and Company, a partner of AIA through its relationship with Mortgage Express.

Thanks to their incredible 5-2 win against AIA China in the regional play-off in Hong Kong, the AIA New Zealand team heads to London’s historic White Hart Lane for the final on 8th May against AIA Indonesia’s team of professional football players.

Player Thomas Boss says the players are “beyond excited” to play in the AIA Championship final on such historic grounds.

“All the lads are excited about travelling to London and of course playing on the main pitch at Tottenham. They have worked incredibly hard to get to this point and we’re hoping to come home with the AIA Championship trophy.”

AIA New Zealand Head of Marketing & Communications, David Savidan says the AIA Championship and sponsorship with Tottenham Hotspur provides a great opportunity to engage with key audiences and it fits perfectly with our brand ambition to help people live longer, healthier, better lives.

ENDS

© Scoop Media