NMI, Guam showcase rivalry, partnership at Marianas Football Cup

The NMI’s Dai Podziewski (16) and Guinevere Borja (2) are seen here playing during the Marianas Football Cup 2018 at the NMI Soccer Training Center. After a three-year absence due to the pandemic, the Marianas Football Cup is back with Guam and the NMI’s U23 men’s and U23 women’s teams squaring off on Aug. 3 and 5 at the NMISTC in Koblerville. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS)

As 32 countries are putting on a show in the ongoing Women’s World Cup, the Northern Mariana Islands and Guam will also have their own showcase event with the staging of the Marianas Football Cup 2023 on Aug. 3 and 5 at the NMI Soccer Training Center in Koblerville.

This marks the return of the Marianas Football Cup, which Saipan last hosted in 2018. The NMI and Guam’s U23 men’s and U23 women’s teams will play two matches for the rights to hoist the coveted Marianas Football Cup trophy. Game time for the Aug. 3 playdate is at 5:30pm for the U23 women’s division, while the U23 men’s tiff will kick off at 8:30pm. For the Aug. 5 matches, the NMI and Guam’s U23 men’s teams will be at the NMIST pitch first for the 5:00pm match, while the U23 women’s division game is scheduled for 8:30pm.

Joining Guam’s delegation for this year’s Marianas Football Cup is Guam Football Association president Valentino San Gil, who underscores the importance of holding this signature event.

“The continued staging of the Marianas Football Cup not only emboldens the football rivalry between teams from Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, but also the foundation of our soccer culture and history,” the GFA president said.

“The island derby may be the soccer showcase for the region on the pitch, but its development and the increased competitiveness of the teams are based largely on mutually beneficial collaboration between Guam Football Association and the Northern Mariana Islands Football Association in key areas off the pitch, including coaching, player and game development, infrastructure, governance, strategic planning, and marketing, to name a few. “I look forward to the upcoming matches and also the increased development of the sport in the region as we continue to set higher standards and goals in international football,” San Gil added.

The inaugural Marianas Football Cup was held in 2007 with the event established to develop a platform for the NMI and Guam players to regularly engage in competitive soccer matches and create a trademark tournament that the two islands could claim as their own.

Though the first Marianas Football Cup was held in 2007, NMIFA president Jerry Tan acknowledged that the GFA has been their partner in NMI soccer development since Day 1 in 2005 when the NMIFA was formally organized.

“The partnership continues to grow and we take every opportunity for our teams to compete against each other, like in this Marianas Football Cup, to see the development of each squad and how our different programs are helping us realize our goals for NMI and Guam soccer,” Tan said.

“We welcome the Guam delegation to this year’s Marianas Football Cup and we encourage our community to come down at the NMISTC to watch exciting soccer games and cheer on our home team and extend our warm hospitality to our visitors,” the NMIFA president added.

Meanwhile, the Marianas Football Cup 2023 is supported by Crowne Plaza Resort Saipan, USA Fanter, Triple J, IT&E, Quality Distributors, GPPC, Tan Siu Lin Foundation, D&Q, TakeCare Insurance, and Island Apparel.

“We would like to thank our generous sponsors, as their support has allowed us to bring back the Marianas Football Club after a three-year absence. The Marianas Football Cup 2023 is the first major soccer tournament to be hosted on Saipan since the pandemic and we look forward to our community coming down together at the NMISTC to support the participating teams and watch NMI and Guam renew their rivalry on the pitch,” NMIFA executive director Russelle Zapanta said. (PR)