Yeongdeok-gun Opens Nation's Largest Spring Middle School Soccer Tournament

From January 24 to February 6, Over 4,500 Participants

Contributing to Football Development and Regional Revitalization

The largest nationwide event, the ‘2024 STAY Yeongdeok Spring National Middle School Soccer Tournament,’ will be held in Yeongdeok-gun, Gyeongbuk Province, from the 24th of this month to the 6th of next month at seven soccer stadiums within the county.

Yeongdeok-gun, hosting the nation's largest 'Spring Middle School Soccer Tournament'.

Hosted by the Korea Football Association (KFA) and organized by the Gyeongbuk Football Association, Yeongdeok-gun Football Association, and Yeongdeok-gun Sports Council, this tournament features 68 upper-grade middle school teams and 42 lower-grade teams, totaling 110 teams with about 4,500 players from across the country. They will compete in three groups?Cheongryong, Baekho, and Youth Cup?over 14 days through group league matches and final knockout rounds to vie for the championship.

Last year, Yeongdeok-gun signed a long-term hosting agreement with the Korea Football Association for the Spring and Autumn National Middle School Soccer Tournaments, agreeing to hold the spring tournament every February and the autumn tournaments in July and August annually for five years until 2027.

Under this agreement, Yeongdeok-gun is expected to bring positive ripple effects to the local economy by hosting the nation’s largest spring and autumn middle school soccer tournaments in a stable and long-term manner, leveraging its excellent infrastructure and operational expertise. This will not only revitalize soccer, the county’s representative sport, but also generate added value through the stay of players and officials.

County Governor Kim Gwang-yeol said, “I hope all the players can fully demonstrate the skills they have honed here in Yeongdeok-gun, where the best sports infrastructure and tourism resources converge. We will repay you with thorough preparations to ensure that players and their families can stay safely and comfortably without any inconvenience.”

This year, Yeongdeok-gun plans to host various nationwide tournaments such as the Football Festa Winter and Summer Leagues and the K League Youth Tournament, while continuously communicating with related organizations and groups to establish a foundation for long-term hosting.