Footballing greats gather to promote U-20 World Cup

Footballing greats gather to promote U-20 World Cup

Some of New Zealand football’s biggest names are working together to remind fans that the FIFA U-20 World Cup is little more than 50 days away.

Organisers of the tournament are hosting a Festival of Football in Hamilton this Friday (April 10) to draw attention to the eight cup games that will be staged at Waikato Stadium when the tournament gets underway on May 30.

A highlight of the evening festival at Seddon Park on Friday will be an exhibition game between a team of former All Whites and a WaiBOP invitation side.

The NZ Football Classic XI will include former All Whites captains Chris Zoricich and Rodger Gray and former internationals such as 1982 World Cup legend Ken Cresswell, Noel Barkley and Hamilton-based Mark Cossey, Mike Groom, Thomas Edge and Ross Nicholson.

The side will also include Ron Armstrong, an All White in the 1970s, playing alongside his daughter Bridgette, who is a Football Fern.

Visitors to the festival will be able to admire the impressive FIFA U-20 World Cup Winners’ Trophy which will be on display and younger children can enjoy playing on the football-themed inflatable activities.

Waikato Chamber of Commerce will hold a Business after 5 event at Seddon Park during the festival.

Meanwhile, two of the region’s top school teams, Hamilton Boys High School and Tauranga Boys College, will play, kicking off at 5pm.

Festival schedule:

4.30 – 7.30pm: Kids Small Sided Games on Seddon Park outfield.

5.00 – 6.30pm: Hamilton Boys High School v Tauranga Boys College (40 min each way).

6.40 - 7.00pm: Business function speeches.

7.00 – 7.45pm: New Zealand Football Classics v WaiBOP Invitational - 1st half (40 min halves).

7.45 – 8.00pm: Celebrity Penalty Shoot-Out.

8.00 – 8.45pm: New Zealand Football Classics v WaiBOP Invitational – 2nd half.

The festival is being promoted by the FIFA U-20 World Cup Local Organising Committee, Rothbury Insurance Brokers, WaiBOP Football Federation and Seddon Park. It is supported by the independent football supporter group, Friends of Football.

About the FIFA U-20 World Cup

Hamilton's Waikato Stadium will be the venue for eight matches during the FIFA U-20 World Cup, the second FIFA age group tournament to be played in New Zealand.

The multi-purpose stadium hosts five match days during the tournament, three of them group game double-headers on Sunday 31 May, Wednesday 3 June, Sunday 6 June. They are followed by a Round of 16 match on Thursday 11 June and a quarterfinal on Sunday 14 June.

The four group teams to play in Hamilton will be Portugal, Colombia, Senegal and Qatar, while Uruguay and Mali will also play a group game at Waikato Stadium.

Hamilton fixtures:

Sunday 31 May 2015

Qatar vs Colombia (1pm)

Portugal vs Senegal (4pm)

Wednesday 3 June 2015

Qatar vs Portugal (4pm)

Colombia vs Senegal (7pm)

Saturday 6 June 2015

Senegal vs Qatar (1pm)

Mali vs Uruguay (4pm)

Thursday 11 June 2015

1st C v 3rd A/B/F (7.30pm)

Round of 16

Sunday, 14 June 2015

Quarterfinal (1pm)

Buy your tickets for the FIFA U-20 World Cup New Zealand 2015 at www.FIFA.com/nz2015 .

Editors

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