News and views from Future Champions

Latest news

Sunderland Coach rounds-up Future Champions Cup

A young Sunderland side bridged the age gap with aplomb in a memorable Future Champions Cup campaign in South Africa, according to Academy head of coaching Elliott Dickman. First-year scholar Ryan Ellison was the oldest player on the trip to…Read more

Fortunes You can’t just blame Igesund

FORMER Bafana Bafana midfielder Quinton Fortune says he would back the appointment of Carlos Queiroz as national team coach if it happens, but feels Gordon Igesund, pictured, should still be kept at the helm. Igesund’s contract is not likely to…Read more

South Africa must improve at all levels — Fortune

FORMER Bafana Bafana midfielder Quinton Fortune says he’d back the appointment of Carlos Quieroz as national team coach if it happens, but feels Gordon Igesund should still be kept at the helm. Igesund’s contract is not likely to be renewed…Read more

BLACK CATS ENTER THE LION’S DEN

Sunderland AFC’s U16 team, who have been in South Africa this week, took a welcome break from the Future Champions Cup to take in some of the history and culture of the Rainbow Nation. The young Black Cats, who confirmed…Read more

SA’S NOT TOO FAR BACK

Sundowns youth show that SA is on par with the best says Bishop SA’S NOT TOO FAR BACK MAMELODI Sundowns head of youth Shawn Bishop does not think the level of football in South Africa, compared to what he has…Read more

Give the kids a chance

Sundowns should turn to their gifted youngsters to find success IT IS SAD to think that some of the Mamelodi Sundown youngsters playing at this week’s Gauteng Future Champions International tournament will never play in the senior team. Throughout this…Read more

  • We had a wonderful football and cultural experience in Gauteng. The tournament and activities were very well organized and we found everyone involved extremely helpful and accommodating. We have all returned home with fantastic memories of our time in South Africa, both on and off the pitch, and have made many new friends as a result of the trip. I hope that we are invited to participate in future tournaments.

    Everton Academy Head Coach
  • The experience both on and off the field for our players during the Future Champions tournament in Gauteng was life-enriching for all those who participated. We were privileged enough to win this edition but what will be bringing us back in future is the cross-cultural education our players receive from spending time with athletes from all over the world. They are human beings before they are football players and enriching them with other cultures is as rewarding as the experience they receive on the field.

    Club Tijuana Director of Football
  • After twenty years of experiencing tournaments around the globe, Future Champions is hands down the best organized, well run International Tournament we have ever participated in. Bringing teams from dozens of different countries provided our boys exposure to cultural diversity they only read about in textbooks. It’s amazing how sport can be the cultural link that provides the opportunity to interact with each other and discover that our global community is a bit smaller than they realized. We had a football and cultural experience that will be cherished for the rest of our lives.

    Director of USYSA Select
  • For us to compete in Future Champions is much more than playing a series of matches. It is an opportunity to compete and contrast our level against the best teams from around the world and the possibility of living in another culture and environment for an unforgettable week, learning about the history of the fight for human rights.

    Director of Aspire Academy
  • The addition of a girls’ competition this year is a natural expansion for what has become a hugely popular event. Over and above the football, the players are also exposed to life-skills courses and HIV/AIDS awareness that could end up saving their lives in the future. We have had an amazing partnership with the Gauteng Province over the last decade and we thank each and every stakeholder for making the Future Champions Gauteng campaign such a huge success

    Tournament director