Hong Kong football chiefs set to confirm heavyweight European visitors ‘very soon’
Local football bosses have booked Kai Tak Stadium for early August, receive more than 300 applications for city team head coach post
Hong Kong football chiefs will “very soon” confirm the identity of the major European clubs that will play in the city this summer, with Bayern Munich, Manchester City and Juventus among the teams lined up to visit.
Eric Fok Kai-shan, the chairman of the Football Association of Hong Kong, China (HKFA), said his organisation had booked Kai Tak Stadium to host matches in early August.
“We are ambitious and want to carry forward the football momentum and culture we created last year,” said Fok, who revealed the HKFA are whittling down more than 300 applications for the vacant Hong Kong head coach post, ahead of a first round of interviews next month.
Last year, the city staged its inaugural Hong Kong Football Festival featuring Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and AC Milan, and welcomed Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr for the Saudi Super Cup.
Fok said “world-class” Kai Tak would be the scene for “a few” high-profile pre-season friendlies this year, but did not want to disclose an exact number.
“The more the better,” he said. “We are working with the main organisers, the clubs, Kai Tak and the government, and we believe details will be shared with everyone very soon. We’ll announce all the arrangements in one go.”