https://www.scmp.com/rss/324374/feed The HKFC Citi Soccer Sevens is an annual invitational soccer tournament organised by Hong Kong Football Club. The event features two competitions, the Main tournament, which comprises the teams from prominent European and Asian clubs, and the Masters tournament, which features veteran players aged 35 and over. Founded in 1999, the event has become a popular fixture on the local sporting calendar. Leicester City were crowned champions in 2017. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Former France and Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane has said he was blown away by the passion for football in Hong Kong after witnessing it first-hand at the weekend. A World Cup and four-time Uefa Champions League winner, Varane was a popular guest at the HKFC Standard Chartered Soccer Sevens on Sunday. “The welcome here was amazing,” said the 32-year-old, who retired last September. “You could see the fans’ incredible passion for football.” Reflecting on that tournament, which was won in... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3311208/ex-man-utd-ace-varanes-verdict-hong-kong-event-and-idea-epl-la-liga-games-abroad?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3311208/ex-man-utd-ace-varanes-verdict-hong-kong-event-and-idea-epl-la-liga-games-abroad?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 21 May 2025 21:00:10 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Hong Kong Football Club’s teenaged goalkeeper James Wright has said the weekend’s HKFC Standard Chartered Soccer Sevens provided a rare gateway for local talent to play at an elite level overseas. Following a string of impressive displays in last year’s tournament, Wright was invited for a trial with West Ham United, the club he supports. That opportunity fell through after Wright arrived in England, because despite owning a British passport, he counted as a foreigner under Fifa rules and West... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3310868/uk-visa-rules-blocked-hong-kong-footballers-west-ham-trial-now-japan-beckons?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3310868/uk-visa-rules-blocked-hong-kong-footballers-west-ham-trial-now-japan-beckons?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 May 2025 23:45:06 +0000 Lars Hamer,Paul McNamara Lars Hamer,Paul McNamara Dutch side AZ Alkmaar won the HKFC Standard Chartered Soccer Sevens on their debut in Hong Kong on Sunday, beating last year’s winners Brighton & Hove Albion 1-0 with a dramatic golden goal. The breakthrough came from goalkeeper Kiyani Zeggen, pushing up as an extra outfield player, after normal time ended 0-0. As a combination of caginess and fatigue brought proceedings to a near-standstill, Zeggen – only a last-ditch stand-in for the tournament – drove in the winner. Brighton’s players sank to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3310800/az-alkmaar-hat-trick-hero-eyes-hong-kong-glory-brighton-knock-out-aston-villa?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3310800/az-alkmaar-hat-trick-hero-eyes-hong-kong-glory-brighton-knock-out-aston-villa?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 May 2025 07:10:05 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara West Ham United goalkeeper Mason Terry said it was impossible to resist the lure of returning to Hong Kong for the HKFC Standard Chartered Soccer Sevens, after last year’s edition delivered a career-enhancing learning experience. On Saturday, the Premier League team emerged unbeaten from their group to secure a Sunday morning quarter-final meeting with Football Club. Since he was part of the West Ham team knocked out by Fulham at that stage 12 months ago, Terry has spent a successful season on... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3310782/west-ham-goalkeeper-eyes-first-team-boost-soccer-sevens-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3310782/west-ham-goalkeeper-eyes-first-team-boost-soccer-sevens-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 May 2025 01:00:18 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Wrexham captain Lili Jones on Saturday paid tribute to Hollywood owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney for their “all-in” attitude to growing the club’s women’s team, after they reached their final at the HKFC Standard Chartered Soccer Sevens in Hong Kong. Following their takeover in 2021, American actors Reynolds and McElhenney pumped US$60,000 into the now increasingly high-profile women’s side. Jones said the pair were “regularly in touch on socials and send us good luck messages before... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3310763/soccer-sevens-wrexham-women-hail-all-hollywood-owners-they-reach-hong-kong-final?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3310763/soccer-sevens-wrexham-women-hail-all-hollywood-owners-they-reach-hong-kong-final?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 May 2025 11:07:03 +0000 Paul McNamara,Lars Hamer Paul McNamara,Lars Hamer Hong Kong Football Club took an English Premier League scalp at the HKFC Standard Chartered Soccer Sevens as they dramatically toppled Leicester City on a perfect Saturday for the tournament hosts. A Jonas Sorensen strike with the last kick of the game stunned the visitors. “It was a great feeling to score against a big club with good players and a huge history,” Sorensen said. There was double joy for Football Club as they then inflicted a 1-0 defeat on AZ Alkmaar, who recently lost only... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3310753/soccer-sevens-leicester-city-shocked-hong-kong-west-ham-quarters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3310753/soccer-sevens-leicester-city-shocked-hong-kong-west-ham-quarters?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 May 2025 08:59:11 +0000 Paul McNamara Paul McNamara Women’s headline act Wrexham launched their debut HKFC Standard Chartered Soccer Sevens campaign with a pair of tense 1-0 victories on Friday night. In their opening game, against Chonburi FC of Thailand, Grace Morris scored the only goal for the Welsh club, who gained global prominence after their 2021 Hollywood takeover by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney. In their second match, Ava Suckley scored to beat Singapore team Eastern Thunder. The 2024 runners-up, Kitchee, began with a 1-1... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3310712/wrexham-flier-hong-kong-soccer-sevens-former-arsenal-star-sent-debut?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3310712/wrexham-flier-hong-kong-soccer-sevens-former-arsenal-star-sent-debut?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 May 2025 13:26:33 +0000 Lars Hamer Lars Hamer Aston Villa’s captain at the HKFC Standard Chartered Soccer Sevens has said he will be channelling his illustrious clubmate Youri Tielemans as his side aim for an eighth title this weekend. Todd Alcock is playing in his third Soccer Sevens at Hong Kong Football Club after victory in his first in 2023 and defeat by Brighton & Hove Albion in last year’s final. This year, he has his sights set on a third consecutive final and going one better than 12 months ago. “The last two years, we’ve had a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3310487/hong-kong-soccer-sevens-aston-villa-captain-taking-tips-tielemans?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3310487/hong-kong-soccer-sevens-aston-villa-captain-taking-tips-tielemans?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 16 May 2025 00:45:07 +0000 Lars Hamer Lars Hamer Former Liverpool manager and captain Graeme Souness has urged rising English Premier League stars to get the most out of their trip to Hong Kong this week – as he did years ago. This weekend, Hong Kong will welcome academy players from English top-flight quintet Aston Villa, Brighton & Hove Albion, Leicester City, Newcastle United and West Ham United for the HKFC Standard Chartered Soccer Sevens. Souness, who visited Hong Kong in 1977 with Middlesbrough and then returned six years later with... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3310486/souness-urges-premier-league-starlets-make-most-hong-kong-visit-he-did?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3310486/souness-urges-premier-league-starlets-make-most-hong-kong-visit-he-did?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 May 2025 10:30:09 +0000 Hong Kong’s under-22 side have been tipped to benefit from measuring themselves against leading European talent, after being drawn in a “group of death” for next month’s HKFC Standard Chartered Soccer Sevens. Leicester City, AZ Alkmaar and hosts Football Club will await Hong Kong U22 in a men’s tournament featuring 16 teams, from eight countries or regions, divided into four groups of four. “It’s great for local players to play against players who might be future Premier League stars,” John... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3305856/tough-hong-kong-soccer-sevens-group-great-learning-opportunity-young-city-team?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3305856/tough-hong-kong-soccer-sevens-group-great-learning-opportunity-young-city-team?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 09 Apr 2025 10:00:58 +0000 The HKFC Standard Chartered Soccer Sevens will this year welcome three overseas women’s teams to compete for the first time, organisers revealed on Thursday. Welsh side Wrexham AFC Women, Thailand’s Chonburi FC Women and Eastern Thunder from Singapore are the three international teams that will compete alongside Hong Kong’s TSL, Kitchee and Hong Kong Football Club. Last month, organisers announced that Premier League academies Aston Villa, Brighton & Hove Albion, Newcastle United, Leicester City... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3305060/hong-kongs-soccer-sevens-include-overseas-womens-teams-first-time?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3305060/hong-kongs-soccer-sevens-include-overseas-womens-teams-first-time?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 03 Apr 2025 10:00:47 +0000 Five Premier League academies and one side from the Netherlands will battle it out at the HKFC Standard Chartered Soccer Sevens in May, with Champions League quarter-finalists Aston Villa among those returning to Hong Kong. Aston Villa lost last year’s final to Brighton & Hove Albion, who will also return to Football Club for this year’s event. The Soccer Sevens is a 16-team, seven-a-side competition. Academy sides will compete in 14-minute round-robin and knockout games between May 16 and... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3302245/aston-villa-brighton-among-teams-resume-soccer-sevens-rivalry-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3302245/aston-villa-brighton-among-teams-resume-soccer-sevens-rivalry-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 13 Mar 2025 12:00:16 +0000 Aston Villa coach Josep Gombau said he owed a huge debt of gratitude to Kitchee owner Ken Ng-kin for a coaching career that has allowed him to work with Ange Postecoglou and Unai Emery. Spaniard Gombau, who managed Kitchee for four years from 2009, was in charge of the Premier League’s under-21s side who finished as runners-up at the HKFC Soccer Sevens last Sunday. The role involves working closely with “one of the best managers in the world” in Emery, who will lead Villa in next season’s Uefa... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3264402/aston-villa-u21-coach-who-worked-unai-emery-and-ange-postecoglou-praises-kitchee-owners-influence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3264402/aston-villa-u21-coach-who-worked-unai-emery-and-ange-postecoglou-praises-kitchee-owners-influence?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 28 May 2024 11:00:23 +0000 Rising Newcastle United academy star Alfie Harrison is applying for a Hong Kong passport with an eye on representing the city at international level. The 18-year-old, who has been dubbed Erling Haaland 2.0 because of his matching hairstyle and shared love of scoring goals with the Manchester City megastar, said he was considering the move because it would be “a benefit to my career”. Although from England, Harrison is eligible to represent Hong Kong because his mum was born in the city. He said... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3264177/newcastle-uniteds-alfie-harrison-reveals-hong-kong-passport-plan-says-definitely-interested-playing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3264177/newcastle-uniteds-alfie-harrison-reveals-hong-kong-passport-plan-says-definitely-interested-playing?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 May 2024 04:00:16 +0000 Brighton & Hove Albion beat defending champions Aston Villa in the final of the HKFC Standard Chartered Soccer Sevens, and gave their fans a glimpse of what the future might hold in the process. A 2-0 win in Sunday’s final at Hong Kong Football Club was illustrative of the south coast club’s modern, fertile youth programme, and canny recruitment. Player of the tournament, Luca Barrington, joined from Manchester City in 2022, while final goalscorers Louis Flower and Benicio Baker-Boaitey arrived... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3264175/brighton-hove-albion-give-fans-glimpse-bright-future-hkfc-soccer-sevens-win-over-aston-villa?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3264175/brighton-hove-albion-give-fans-glimpse-bright-future-hkfc-soccer-sevens-win-over-aston-villa?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 27 May 2024 02:00:38 +0000 Benicio Baker-Boaitey said Brighton & Hove Albion were motivated by last year’s semi-final heartache in their triumphant 2024 HKFC Standard Chartered Soccer Sevens campaign. Baker-Boaitey and Louis Flower were both on target in Brighton’s fully merited 2-0 final victory over defending champions Aston Villa. Flower’s first-half strike across goalkeeper James Wright was the first goal Villa conceded in the competition. The 20-year-old Baker-Boaitey, who made five Premier League appearances last... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3264142/hkfc-soccer-sevens-hong-kong-rangers-down-another-english-premier-league-giant-set-semi-final?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3264142/hkfc-soccer-sevens-hong-kong-rangers-down-another-english-premier-league-giant-set-semi-final?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 May 2024 06:00:24 +0000 Fulham under-21 head coach Hayden Mullins said the HKFC Standard Chartered Soccer Sevens would help his players “grow up”, on and off the field. The seven-a-side format is an outlier in world football, but Mullins, a former Premier League midfielder with West Ham United and Portsmouth, insisted playing with reduced numbers on a large-scale pitch provided a crash course in various footballing qualities. Mullins was also using the Hong Kong trip to discover how his players managed a “test of... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3264118/hkfc-soccer-sevens-event-hong-kong-helps-english-premier-league-kids-grow-fulham-coach-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3264118/hkfc-soccer-sevens-event-hong-kong-helps-english-premier-league-kids-grow-fulham-coach-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 May 2024 04:00:26 +0000 A midfield prospect who quit Manchester City for Brighton & Hove Albion revealed his team came prepared for their unusual route to Sunday’s HKFC Standard Chartered Soccer Sevens quarter-finals. English Premier League side Brighton flirted with a group-stage exit, needing a late goal from ex-City teen Luca Barrington to rescue a draw in their final game against Yokohama F. Marinos. Those two teams then played a four-v-four playoff to separate them in the group, and after Brighton won it,... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3264121/quitting-man-city-brighton-was-right-call-hong-kong-soccer-sevens-star-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3264121/quitting-man-city-brighton-was-right-call-hong-kong-soccer-sevens-star-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 26 May 2024 00:30:08 +0000 Hong Kong Rangers put up the performance of the day at the HKFC Standard Chartered Soccer Sevens, overcoming Brighton & Hove Albion as they went unbeaten in the group stage. That 1-0 loss for Brighton, and a later draw with Yokohama F. Marinos, meant that they finished level on every metric with the Japanese, behind group winners Rangers, forcing a dramatic four-a-side golden-goal play-off with Marinos that the side from England won. Rangers will play Newcastle United in the quarter finals at... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3264086/hkfc-standard-chartered-soccer-sevens-hong-kong-rangers-slay-english-premier-league-opponents?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3264086/hkfc-standard-chartered-soccer-sevens-hong-kong-rangers-slay-english-premier-league-opponents?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 25 May 2024 04:27:45 +0000 Aston Villa captain James Wright said his side had arrived in Hong Kong with potentially a stronger team than last year as they look to retain their HKFC Standard Chartered Soccer Sevens crown this weekend. Wright’s team will be joined by fellow academy sides from West Ham United, Brighton & Hove Albion, Fulham, Leicester City and Newcastle United when the main men’s event starts on Saturday, but the defending champions’ skipper warned they had no intention of being deposed easily. “We’ve got a... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3264056/hkfc-standard-chartered-soccer-sevens-aston-villa-stronger-they-begin-title-defence?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3264056/hkfc-standard-chartered-soccer-sevens-aston-villa-stronger-they-begin-title-defence?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 24 May 2024 14:23:35 +0000 Team captains from Hong Kong and abroad, including several English Premier League clubs, get a glimpse of the trophies they will battle it out for at the HKFC Standard Chartered Soccer Sevens over the next three days. The annual seven-a-side football tournament features local teams as well as academy sides from Aston Villa, West Ham United, Brighton & Hove Albion, Fulham, Leicester City and Newcastle United. This year will also be the first time the Sevens has hosted a women’s tournament, which... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3263856/hkfc-standard-chartered-soccer-sevens-luis-boa-morte-tips-fulhams-kids-shine-well-himself-masters?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3263856/hkfc-standard-chartered-soccer-sevens-luis-boa-morte-tips-fulhams-kids-shine-well-himself-masters?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 23 May 2024 23:45:08 +0000 Aston Villa’s Omari Kellyman has described last year’s HKFC Soccer Sevens in Hong Kong as an important step towards his recent English Premier League debut as his clubmates prepare to defend their title in the city next week. Kellyman, who won the player-of-the-tournament award when Villa won the Soccer Sevens last May, became the latest of the event’s alumni to hit the big time when he featured against Manchester City on April 3, a game his side lost 4-1. The attacking midfielder, 18, was... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3263011/soccer-sevens-hong-kong-helped-me-reach-english-premier-league-aston-villas-omari-kellyman-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3263011/soccer-sevens-hong-kong-helped-me-reach-english-premier-league-aston-villas-omari-kellyman-says?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 May 2024 09:30:11 +0000 Hong Kong football’s CEO has denied that an end-of-season fixture clash represents a missed opportunity, with the HKFC Standard Chartered Soccer Sevens set to partially eclipse a potential final-day title decider in the city’s Premier League. A season curtain-closer, the 22nd Soccer Sevens is to take place from May 24 to 26 at Hong Kong Football Club, featuring an array of English Premier League clubs and promising its usual vibrant atmosphere. However, the last round of Premier League fixtures... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3258870/hong-kong-soccer-sevens-or-premier-league-title-blockbuster-clash-was-unavoidable-fa-chief-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3258870/hong-kong-soccer-sevens-or-premier-league-title-blockbuster-clash-was-unavoidable-fa-chief-says?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 13 Apr 2024 00:00:30 +0000 Seven-time winners and defending champions Aston Villa will return to Hong Kong for the HKFC Standard Chartered Soccer Sevens in May, alongside a host of other English Premier League clubs. The Soccer Sevens, this year celebrating its 25th anniversary, will take place from May 24 to 26. It will feature a women’s edition for the first time, but organisers said the eight teams taking part would be announced in April. Last year, Aston Villa became the first outfit to win the 16-team, three-day... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3257093/hkfc-standard-chartered-soccer-sevens-champions-aston-villa-set-hong-kong-among-host-english-premier?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3257093/hkfc-standard-chartered-soccer-sevens-champions-aston-villa-set-hong-kong-among-host-english-premier?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 28 Mar 2024 09:19:21 +0000 Old Trafford legend Dwight Yorke has taken umbrage at what he sees at premature talk of Manchester City replicating Manchester United’s famed treble. The 51-year-old Yorke was part of Alex Ferguson’s treble-winning side in 1998-99 that conquered at home and in Europe. In the former striker’s eyes, too many fans, pundits and media members have already written off United’s chances of causing an upset on Saturday at Wembley when they face Premier League champions City, who will contest the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3222403/dwight-yorke-says-man-city-treble-talk-premature-backs-man-united-win-fa-cup-final?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3222403/dwight-yorke-says-man-city-treble-talk-premature-backs-man-united-win-fa-cup-final?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 31 May 2023 05:13:06 +0000 It’s not often a bona fide English Premier League champion turns up in Hong Kong, let alone plays at the Soccer Sevens. But Leicester City hero and Manchester United academy product Danny Simpson was one of the stars of the show at Hong Kong Football Club last weekend, losing a tight Plate final with Kowloon Cricket Club (KCC) to the Citi All-Stars – who were made up entirely of ex-pros. “I hate losing, it’s part of the reason why I’ve had a decent career, and it took me a few hours to calm... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3222350/danny-simpson-talks-soccer-sevens-hong-kong-premier-league-move-and-leicesters-relegation-heartbreak?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3222350/danny-simpson-talks-soccer-sevens-hong-kong-premier-league-move-and-leicesters-relegation-heartbreak?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 31 May 2023 00:30:13 +0000 It is 12 years since the HKFC Citi Soccer Sevens produced a Hong Kong winner, but Tai Po went close to ending that run on Sunday before Aston Villa issued a reality check. Villa earned a record-extending seventh title as the event returned after a four-year Covid hiatus, proving too good, too savvy and too numerous to allow the New Territories club to ambush their third English Premier League side of the day. The Soccer Sevens had last had a local finalist in 2014, when Kitchee lost to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3222107/english-premier-league-still-rules-hong-kong-aston-villa-win-soccer-sevens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3222107/english-premier-league-still-rules-hong-kong-aston-villa-win-soccer-sevens?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 28 May 2023 12:29:11 +0000 Leicester City’s under-21s staged a last-gasp HKFC Citi Soccer Sevens recovery that they will hope their senior side can emulate in the English Premier League relegation scrap, as they came back to beat Newcastle United 2-1. On the eve of the Premier League season’s final round, when the club must win to beat the dreaded drop – while Newcastle could snatch third – their rising stars showed how it’s done at Hong Kong Football Club. On Sunday it could be Jamie Vardy or James Maddison saving the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3222049/soccer-sevens-skipper-seizes-day-leicester-now-english-premier-league-relegation-fight?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3222049/soccer-sevens-skipper-seizes-day-leicester-now-english-premier-league-relegation-fight?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 May 2023 12:49:43 +0000 Dwight Yorke believes Manchester United manager Erik Ten Hag may have no choice but to make Harry Kane his No 1 transfer target this summer. The 51-year-old knows a thing or two about what it takes to be a United striker, scoring 46 goals in 98 appearances during his time with the club, which included a staring role in Alex Ferguson’s famed 1998-99 treble-winning side. But United have struggled for goals up front this season, and Yorke feels Tottenham striker Kane, 29, is likely to guarantee an... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3222017/manchester-united-legend-dwight-yorke-feels-erik-ten-hag-may-have-no-choice-sign-harry-kane?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3222017/manchester-united-legend-dwight-yorke-feels-erik-ten-hag-may-have-no-choice-sign-harry-kane?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 27 May 2023 03:40:44 +0000 The HKFC Citi Soccer Sevens burst back onto the Hong Kong sporting landscape on Friday night – and fans and players could not get enough. It may have just been the Masters tournament, with the under-21s – featuring Premier League sides Newcastle, Aston Villa, Fulham, and Leicester – to kick off on Saturday at Hong Kong Football Club. But the fans still filled more than half of the 2,750-seater stadium for a fun evening of action in Causeway Bay. There were a handful of former Premier League... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3221990/soccer-sevens-bursts-back-hong-kong-sports-scene-fans-and-former-premier-league-stars-feeling-love?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3221990/soccer-sevens-bursts-back-hong-kong-sports-scene-fans-and-former-premier-league-stars-feeling-love?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 26 May 2023 14:05:23 +0000 Brighton & Hove Albion captain Jack Hinchy said he enjoyed “getting a glimpse into the locals’ lives” after playing shuttlecock with some of the city’s elders on the eve of the HKFC Citi Soccer Sevens, which takes place this Friday to Sunday. The 20-year-old, who plays central midfield for Brighton’s academy side, was introduced to the “really good fun” sport of jianzi, or shuttlecock kicking – a form of keepy-uppy – by local seniors at an event to promote the tournament. After marvelling at... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3221855/soccer-sevens-brighton-newcastle-aston-villa-stars-introduced-shuttlecock-kicking-hong-kongs-elders?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3221855/soccer-sevens-brighton-newcastle-aston-villa-stars-introduced-shuttlecock-kicking-hong-kongs-elders?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 25 May 2023 14:38:13 +0000 Aston Villa will arrive in Hong Kong for this week’s HKFC Citi Soccer Sevens hoping the next Jack Grealish is in their ranks as they showcase their latest academy talent. The tournament returns to Hong Kong Football Club this Friday to Sunday for the first time since 2019 following a Covid-enforced hiatus, with Villa looking to extend their track record of fielding players who go on to become household names. Grealish, now starring for Manchester City, is among those who featured in past Soccer... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3221453/next-jack-grealish-aston-villa-reveal-whos-next-conveyor-belt-hkfc-citi-soccer-sevens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3221453/next-jack-grealish-aston-villa-reveal-whos-next-conveyor-belt-hkfc-citi-soccer-sevens?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 23 May 2023 00:30:16 +0000 Former England striker Les Ferdinand is hoping to unearth the next Jack Grealish at the HKFC Citi Soccer Sevens later this month. Manchester City’s £100 million (US$127 million) star played at the event on three occasions for former club Aston Villa, and is just the latest participant to enjoy a career at the peak of the professional game. Other players to have passed through the doors at Hong Kong Football Club include Marc Albrighton, who won the Premier League with Leicester City, and Poland... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3219765/qpr-boss-ferdinand-hoping-find-next-jack-grealish-hong-kong-soccer-sevens-tournament?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3219765/qpr-boss-ferdinand-hoping-find-next-jack-grealish-hong-kong-soccer-sevens-tournament?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 May 2023 08:00:12 +0000 Reigning champions Newcastle will face fellow Premier League outfit Leicester City in the group phase of the 2023 HKFC Citi Soccer Sevens as they look to defend their title, four years on from winning it. The draw for the 21st edition of the popular tournament, which will be held over May 26-28, took place on Wednesday, with 16 teams to battle for the main title – 10 of them flying in from overseas. Former England international Les Ferdinand was on hand for the draw as the guest of honour, and... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3218447/premier-league-legend-les-ferdinand-hand-soccer-sevens-draw-and-tips-man-city-beat-arsenal-title?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3218447/premier-league-legend-les-ferdinand-hand-soccer-sevens-draw-and-tips-man-city-beat-arsenal-title?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 26 Apr 2023 10:16:21 +0000 Six-time winners Aston Villa and defending back-to-back champions Newcastle United will headline a cast of Premier League clubs who have signed up for next month’s Citi Soccer Sevens, as the prestigious event returns to Hong Kong for the first time in four years. The three-day tournament, which was postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic, will run from May 26 to 28 and feature 26 teams across a main event and masters tournament at Hong Kong Football Club. Sixteen teams will compete in the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3217900/aston-villa-and-newcastle-united-among-premier-league-clubs-heading-hong-kong-soccer-sevens?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3217900/aston-villa-and-newcastle-united-among-premier-league-clubs-heading-hong-kong-soccer-sevens?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Apr 2023 09:55:42 +0000 The HKFC Citi Soccer Sevens is set to return to the Hong Kong Football Club in May after a 4-year hiatus, organisers confirmed on Monday. The three-day tournament – last held in 2019 with Newcastle winning their third title – will be held at HKFC from May 26 to 28. HKFC chairman Neil Jensen said he was “happy and relieved” to see the tournament back on the city’s sporting calendar. “This is actually the fourth decade the Soccer Sevens is being held over here, it is an incredible achievement,” he... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3209279/hong-kong-soccer-sevens-organisers-hail-return-iconic-tournament-may-after-4-year-hiatus?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3209279/hong-kong-soccer-sevens-organisers-hail-return-iconic-tournament-may-after-4-year-hiatus?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 06 Feb 2023 12:02:03 +0000 The 2021 MLS Superdraft’s second overall pick Calvin Harris wants to savour the milestone of becoming a fully professional footballer after signing with FC Cincinnati in January. The England-born 20-year-old attacker joined the MLS Eastern Conference side from college team Wake Forest, where his 10 goals and five assists in 32 games earned him a Generation Adidas pro contract for early draft eligibility. “It has and hasn’t sunk in yet. It’s a complex one,” said Harris, who played in Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3120002/former-hong-kong-footballer-calvin-harris-joins-fc-cincinnati-after?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3120002/former-hong-kong-footballer-calvin-harris-joins-fc-cincinnati-after?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Feb 2021 02:00:11 +0000 This year’s HKFC Citi Soccer Sevens has been cancelled, organisers announced on Thursday as the city battles the ongoing coronavirus outbreak. “Given the current situation the HKFC Citi Soccer Sevens committee has taken the difficult decision to cancel the HKFC Citi Soccer Sevens 2020 event,” they said. Tournament director Chris Plowman put this down to “the difficulty in securing the necessary commitments to be able to deliver an event of the scale and quality that is expected of the Soccer... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3049308/hong-kong-soccer-sevens-cancelled-amid-coronavirus-outbreak?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3049308/hong-kong-soccer-sevens-cancelled-amid-coronavirus-outbreak?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 06 Feb 2020 06:33:16 +0000 Newcastle United’s Matty Longstaff completed his journey from Hong Kong Soccer Sevens starlet to English Premier League saviour on Sunday when the stand-out performer from this year’s Sports Road extravaganza netted a crucial winning goal for the Magpies against Manchester United and fulfilled a lifelong dream. The 19-year-old midfielder became the youngest player to score a Premier League debut goal for Newcastle when he bagged the only goal of the game in the second half at St James’ Park to... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3031819/matty-longstaff-joins-list-premier-league-starlets-get-their-chance?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3031819/matty-longstaff-joins-list-premier-league-starlets-get-their-chance?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 07 Oct 2019 05:05:46 +0000 Hong Kong footballer Dai Wai-tsun, known as Tsun Dai in England, has left League Two Oxford United to sign for English Premier League side Wolverhampton Wanderers, the club has announced. The midfielder will jet to Spain this weekend to join up with Rob Edwards’ under-23 side as they prepare for the upcoming Premier League 2 season. Wolves become Dai’s third English club as a professional after stints with Bury and Oxford, who he joined at the beginning of last season. He spent some of last... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3018065/hong-kongs-tsun-dai-joins-premier-league-wolves-oxford-united?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3018065/hong-kongs-tsun-dai-joins-premier-league-wolves-oxford-united?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 10 Jul 2019 11:34:28 +0000 Even during the HKFC Citi Soccer Sevens thoughts of the biggest game of the season were never far away. Emile Heskey and Michael Brown, who played 200 games between them for Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur, were happy to take time out from playing for Playon Pros to talk about the upcoming Uefa Champions League final between their former clubs in Madrid. Heskey, who played for Liverpool for four seasons after signing from hometown club Leicester City in 2000, thinks the Reds are favourites. “I... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3010888/champions-league-final-liverpool-and-tottenham-masters-have-their?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3010888/champions-league-final-liverpool-and-tottenham-masters-have-their?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 May 2019 03:33:40 +0000 History repeated itself at the HKFC Citi Soccer Sevens at Sports Road on Sunday with Rangers and Newcastle United needing sudden death to separate them in the final of the Main tournament’s Cup. Just like the 2018 final, it was Newcastle who lifted the cup for a third time. Skipper Owen Bailey, on as the goalkeeper in the four-on-four game, stroked home the sudden death winner. It was Bailey who ignited their comeback after being 2-0 down at half-time. Rangers took the lead inside a minute... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3010850/newcastle-united-beat-rangers-retain-hong-kong-soccer-sevens-title?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3010850/newcastle-united-beat-rangers-retain-hong-kong-soccer-sevens-title?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 19 May 2019 11:59:10 +0000 There was nowhere to hide on the pitch at Hong Kong Football Club during Saturday’s HKFC Citi Soccer Sevens. The sun was beating down and thanks to the humidity the high of 31 degrees Celsius felt several degrees warmer. Many of the masters players who had jetted in from Europe looked noticeable red faced and still acclimatising to a first experience of playing in Hong Kong. One man who might have been prepared was Ben Chorley. The former Arsenal trainee scored a brace for the Citi All Stars in... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3010792/hong-kong-soccer-sevens-west-ham-united-wolves-and-fulham-shine?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3010792/hong-kong-soccer-sevens-west-ham-united-wolves-and-fulham-shine?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 May 2019 13:11:45 +0000 Organisers of the HKFC Citi Hong Kong Soccer Sevens are remaining tight-lipped after ex-Newcastle United player and coach Peter Beardsley pulled out of the tournament amid historic accusations of bulling and racist comments against the club’s academy players. The 58-year-old Beardsley was set to turn out for the Playon Pros team in the Masters B competition at Hong Kong Football Club, with organisers even moving the veterans team from the Park Lane Hotel to lessen the chances of the ex-coach... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3010646/soccer-sevens-organisers-silent-over-peter-beardsleys-absence-amid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3010646/soccer-sevens-organisers-silent-over-peter-beardsleys-absence-amid?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 17 May 2019 06:09:10 +0000 Marcel Desailly is one of only four players to have won the Uefa Champions League back-to-back with different clubs and he is the only one to come within minutes of retaining the trophy for a third time. That dream was undone by a teenager in an Ajax shirt and he would not mind seeing something similar happen again this season. “It would be funny to see Ajax winning the Champions League,” he says of the similarities between today and his experience in 1995 with AC Milan. “We had just won the... https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3009209/messi-ronaldo-and-pogba-world-cup-winner-marcel-desailly-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/football/article/3009209/messi-ronaldo-and-pogba-world-cup-winner-marcel-desailly-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 07 May 2019 09:19:56 +0000 The HKFC Citi Soccer Sevens returns to mark its 20th anniversary next month, with English Premier League sides Wolverhampton Wanderers and Fulham set to play their first tournament. They will be joined by fellow newcomers and the first Portuguese participants, Portimonense, at Sports Road from May 17-19. Rather than being invited, as is usually the case with attending clubs, Wolves got in touch with the organisers. “They actually contacted us, we didn’t contact them, so that was great to invite... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3005771/english-premier-leagues-wolves-and-fulham-set-light-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/3005771/english-premier-leagues-wolves-and-fulham-set-light-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 12 Apr 2019 02:00:11 +0000 It’s funny to think Liverpool’s journey to this weekend’s Champions League final in Kiev began with a makeshift night-time training session at Tseung Kwan O Sports Ground. An amber rain warning had forced the club to cancel plans for an open training session earlier that afternoon for local fans at Mong Kok Stadium last July. “You think you cannot train but we did, under the most difficult of circumstances,” Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said in Hong Kong. “I love it – I want to create... https://www.scmp.com/sport/soccer/article/2147063/liverpools-champions-league-final-charge-has-it-roots-hong-kong-where?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/soccer/article/2147063/liverpools-champions-league-final-charge-has-it-roots-hong-kong-where?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 21 May 2018 06:45:15 +0000 Things have been looking a little less foggy for Newcastle United in the English Premier League as the Rafa Benitez revolution goes from strength to strength. And now the Tyneside club’s next generation of young stars is providing another ray of sunshine. On a second straight afternoon of scorching temperatures in Happy Valley, Newcastle’s academy side lifted the HKFC Citi Soccer Sevens title for the second time in their history with a 1-0 win against Scottish outfit Glasgow Rangers at Hong Kong... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2146982/hong-kong-soccer-sevens-newcastle-are-talk-toon-they-storm-title?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2146982/hong-kong-soccer-sevens-newcastle-are-talk-toon-they-storm-title?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 May 2018 13:15:15 +0000 Joe Hart has admitted that being left out of the World Cup squad is “hard to take” – and he has had some backing from the old England contingent who are out here playing in Hong Kong for the HKFC Citi Soccer Sevens. “I would [take him] because he’s my mate,” said former England number one David James, smiling.  The ex-Liverpool stopper became the World Cup’s oldest debutant in 2010 in South Africa, and certainly values experience within a national squad. “I’m disappointed that Joe didn’t make... https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2146958/hong-kong-soccer-sevens-david-james-says-his-friend-joe-harts?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/hong-kong/article/2146958/hong-kong-soccer-sevens-david-james-says-his-friend-joe-harts?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 May 2018 07:56:13 +0000 It will always be puzzling to see top-class football academies from around the globe playing in front of stands that are only ever two thirds full at Hong Kong Football Club. The HKFC Citi Soccer Sevens is back in town, but once again the reception has been lukewarm, with attendance numbers failing to catch fire this weekend. The seven-a-side round-robin tournament has all the tools to be a hit – famous football clubs like Rangers, Newcastle, Leicester City and West Ham are providing a glimpse... https://www.scmp.com/sport/soccer/article/2146931/magic-hong-kong-soccer-sevens-can-bring-out-inner-child-all-us-few?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/sport/soccer/article/2146931/magic-hong-kong-soccer-sevens-can-bring-out-inner-child-all-us-few?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 20 May 2018 02:42:15 +0000