The island of volcanoes is preparing to vibrate with the second edition of the Lanzarote International Cup, an unprecedented sporting event that brings together more than 1,900 young football promises from around the world. The tournament has already established itself as an unmissable event in the international grassroots football calendar.
Yesterday afternoon, the spectacular opening ceremony took place, with the traditional parade of participating teams, which started from the Arrecife bus station, next to the Cabildo, and culminated in the Parque Islas Canarias. The event included speeches by Pedro Cabrera and José Luis Mendilibar, from the organization of the event, as well as words from Yonathan de León, mayor of Arrecife, Juan Monzón, Minister of Sports and Oswaldo Betancort, president of the Cabildo of Lanzarote. Without a doubt, it was a festive meeting, full of color, joy and sportsmanship.
During four intense days of competition, from June 19 to 22, Lanzarote will be the scene of more than 300 matches in the Benjamin, Alevín and Infantil categories, with the participation of almost 100 teams from Mexico, the United States, Italy, Greece, Belgium, Portugal and France, among others, and, of course, from all over Spain.
The final and awards ceremony will be held on the morning of Sunday the 22nd at the Arrecife Sports City, putting the finishing touch to an unforgettable week for the more than 5,000 companions who will enjoy a sporting and family event in a unique environment such as Lanzarote.
An event that is consolidated
This second edition, which was recently presented in style at the headquarters of the Royal Spanish Football Federation in Madrid, was attended by its president, Rafael Louzán, who highlighted the value of this tournament for the development of young footballers and their international projection.
Among the participating clubs are some of the most recognized in the European and world scene: FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atlético de Madrid, Sevilla, Real Betis, PSG, Olympique de Lyon, Benfica, Oporto, Torino, Olympiakos, among many others, which guarantees a very high level of play and a unique experience for all attendees.
Beyond the competition, the Lanzarote International Cup is consolidated as an event that promotes values such as companionship, diversity, personal improvement, inclusion and respect, becoming an authentic celebration of sport as an educational and social tool. The participants themselves wanted to convey this message yesterday, through representatives from various countries, together with José Luis Mendilibar.
In addition, as Oswaldo Betancort emphasized, the Lanzarote International Cup is also economy and generation of opportunities. And the event has an impact of more than 8 million euros on the island, strengthening sports tourism and positioning Lanzarote as an international reference destination.
With renewed enthusiasm, Lanzarote opens its arms to the future of football and the warmth of thousands of families, coaches, clubs and young dreamers who will find in this volcanic land much more than a competition: they will live an experience that they will remember for the rest of their lives.
