Gandeng Shopee, AFF Gathers the Best Clubs in Southeast Asia in the Prestigious Shopee Cup ASEAN Club Championship

Kapanlagi.com - The latest news from the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) has caused a stir in the football world. The return of the ASEAN Club Championship has ignited the enthusiasm of football fans who are eager to watch renowned clubs from Southeast Asia compete in a world-class tournament.

This first regional club tournament in Southeast Asia will bring a breath of fresh air to the football market in the region. Fans and football supporters will have the opportunity to witness a total of 40 matches from their favorite clubs, featuring the best gameplay, tactical battles, and high-level skills.

Alongside the announcement of the comeback of this prestigious tournament, AFF has also announced Shopee as the official partner of the ASEAN Club Championship, named Shopee Cup™. Collaborating with the main organizer partner, Shopee, and exclusive commercial partner, SPORTFIVE, AFF aims to create an increasingly exciting future for ASEAN football clubs.

In line with AFF's efforts to adjust the tournament schedule with the European competition calendar, Shopee Cup™ is scheduled to start this year on July 17 and will continue until May 21, 2025. Exciting news! The reigning champion and runner-up of the Indonesian Liga 1 last season, PSM Makassar and Persija Jakarta, have also been invited to represent Indonesian clubs in this season's Shopee Cup.

This tournament will be played in a league format with qualifying play-offs and group stages. The best 14 clubs in ASEAN will compete for the title of Shopee Cup™ ASEAN Club Championship every year. Major General Khiev Sameth, President of the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF), stated that this moment marks a historic step for ASEAN football.

Shopee Cup™ will be a crucial aspect in creating an exciting future for ASEAN football clubs and transforming the football industry in this region. The Shopee Cup™ tournament will foster aspirations for renowned clubs to become ASEAN champions and succeed in Asia.

"We are very proud to partner with Shopee, an ASEAN company known globally and can become the main partner of the first ASEAN Club Championship. Together, we make history by shaping and accelerating the development of ASEAN football clubs," said Major General Khiev Sameth.

In line with this, Zhou Jun Jie, Chief Commercial Officer of Shopee, said they are very pleased to partner with the ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) as the main sponsor of the largest inter-club tournament in Southeast Asia, the Shopee Cup™. This event offers an opportunity for Shopee to connect with fans across the Southeast Asia region and interact more closely with the younger generation, especially football fans and supporters.

"Through this collaboration, Shopee hopes to expand its reach, while at the same time entertain and continue to provide a fun experience for all users through an integrated ecosystem," said Zhou Jun Jie.

Talking about the love for football, Southeast Asia, where Shopee operates, is known as one of the regions with the best football fan euphoria in Asia, even the world. Various tournaments between countries and leagues in AFF member countries that have been successfully held have become the main barometer of the football industry in many countries.

The Shopee Cup™ will feature national league champions and cup winners (or runners-up in certain situations) from Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam (two teams each), as well as the Philippines and Singapore (one team each). The champions of the Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar national leagues will compete for two spots in the tournament's group stage during the qualifying play-off round.

The 12 qualified clubs will be drawn into two groups for the group stage with the Official Draw. After the Official Draw, the clubs will begin competing in the group stage, which will be played on a home and away basis. The teams ranked first and second in each group at the end of the group stage will advance to the semi-finals. The semifinals and finals will be played in a home and away format.

The high enthusiasm of football fans will welcome the Shopee Cup™ tournament with chants and typical songs from iconic club supporters. The gameplay of the star players from each competing club will be the center of attention, and the high-level game strategies from experienced coaches will present fierce battles throughout the full 90 minutes of play.

This will ignite the spirit of tens of thousands of supporters who are predicted to fill the stadium stands to support their beloved clubs in winning this prestigious tournament, making the anticipated intense matches even more exciting.

"As a representative of the AFF Council, I would like to express our appreciation for the partnership and support provided by Shopee. We hope that the excellent collaboration with Shopee and commercial partner, SPORTFIVE, can organize a world-class football tournament and develop the ASEAN football ecosystem to a higher level," concluded Major General Khiev Sameth.

Find out more information about the competition format, schedule of the Shopee Cup™ 2024/25 season, and participating clubs will be presented at the Official Draw, which will be held in the first week of May, with the date and venue to be announced soon.

(kly/tmi)