Representatives from the 16 African-Australian soccer teams playing in this year’s Cup, were joined by former Socceroos player and coach Robert Hooker, former Socceroo Craig Foster, Cumberland Mayor Steve Christou and Inspector Karl Leis and Seok Ong from Auburn Police at the tournament launch a week earlier.
The African Australian Football Association (AAFA) along with partner Granville and Districts Soccer Football Association (GDSFA) soccer club, the Auburn Sports Club (ASC), have been running the community initiative since 2010.
ASC’s Steve Elriche says this year’s Cup will see 32 matches played by teams representing Algeria, Biafra, Burkina Faso, Comoros Island, Egypt, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Libya, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan and Tunisia.
“Considering this is our 10th year partnership with the African-Australian communities in NSW, we are absolutely delighted by this new chapter to make this tournament the best African Nations Cup tournament in Australia,” he said.
One of those behind the original concept in 1999 is AAFA president Victor Obuzome, who said they began with only four teams and have grown steadily in the 21 years since.
“Soccer is good for young people as it keeps them busy and gives them something to do,” he said.
“As president of AAFA, I will try my best to engage our boys and girls from African Culturally Linguistically Diverse (CALD) backgrounds so that we can stop them getting involved with problems out on the streets.”
Cup games will be played from 1pm every Saturday at Progress Park, with the grand final on December 12.
Details: facebook.com/nswafricancupofnations.
