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Hong Kong Football Festival

Hong Kong Football Festival
This year's Hong Kong Football Festival will again feature two matches at Kai Tak Stadium, with Manchester City playing Inter Milan on August 1, and Juventus taking on Chelsea on August 5.
Footballers (from left) Shaun Wright-Phillips, Christian Vieri, Roberto Di Matteo and Edgar Davids attend the launch of the 2026 Hong Kong Football Festival on April 21. Photo: Elson Li
Kai Tak Sports Park

Editorial | Hot summer of football festival fever ahead for Hong Kong

The return of star-studded matches featuring top European clubs heralds a second straight summer of football enthusiasm for local fans.

Italian Serie A

Juventus Hong Kong trip a ‘double-edged sword’, says ex-Dutch star Edgar Davids

Fifa World Cup

Italy are too big a football nation to keep missing World Cups, says Vieri

English Premier League

Man City will wrap up league title by going into ‘cup final’ mode, says ex-star

Shaun Wright-Phillips will not entertain thoughts about rivals Arsenal crumbling, and says league leaders will ‘play their hearts out’.

Erling Haaland (middle) scores Manchester City’s goal in their 1-0 win over Burnley on Wednesday to take them to the top of the table. Photo: Reuters
The Football Association of Hong Kong, China

Hong Kong a magnet for ‘world-class’ sport as football festival clubs confirmed

Festival returning in August after successful 2025 edition; City set for Inter Milan clash, with Chelsea tackling Juventus.

Kai Tak Sports Park

Football Festival boss eyes Sevens-style boom, dismisses threat from rivals

TEG Sport managing director Rachael Carroll on overcoming Messi fiasco and making event a permanent fixture in city’s sporting calendar.

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Hong Kong society

Letters | After showcasing football stars, Hong Kong must focus on the local game

Readers discuss the series of high-profile matches in the city, the legal framework for same-sex partnershipships, and a recent scam.

Cristiano Ronaldo (centre) celebrates during the Saudi Super Cup final football match between Al-Nassr and Al-Ahli in Hong Kong on August 23. Photo: Xinhua
Hong Kong Premier League

Editorial | Hong Kong’s local football needs to harness festival passion

The energy from the Football Festival and Asian Cup qualifier with India can carry over to the local game if there is a good product.

Kai Tak Sports Park

Could Hong Kong Football Festival rival city’s rugby sevens as its crown jewel?

About 160,000 fans attended festival involving Liverpool, Arsenal, Spurs and AC Milan, with the clubs voicing interest in coming back.

Hong Kong economy

Editorial | Kai Tak football fest a win for Hong Kong as host of elite sporting events

A series of top sporting events have been held in Hong Kong since the sports park opened and more are on the way, notably the National Games.

Tottenham Hotspur fans watch the Hong Kong Football Festival friendly between Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur at Kai Tak Stadium in Hong Kong on July 31. Photo: Elson Li
Kai Tak Sports Park

Hong Kong artists’ wow moment as Son Heung-min and Spurs stars wear their design

Parents Parents savour best commission after Premier League idols sport their handiwork in front of a record-breaking crowd.

Spurs’ South Korean star Son Heung-min prepares to come on as a substitute against Arsenal at Kai Tak Stadium on Thursday. Photo: Handout
Kai Tak Sports Park

Hong Kong fans savour Tottenham victory over Arsenal on record-breaking night

Pape Matar Sarr’s spectacular strike settles first North London derby played outside UK, as 49,975 pack into Kai Tak Stadium.

Kai Tak Sports Park

Hong Kong basks in job well done as Tottenham boss praises ‘perfect’ occasion

Organisers hail ‘thrilling experience’ as Arsenal and Tottenham bring curtain down on inaugural Hong Kong Football Festival.

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English Premier League

Arsenal v Tottenham in Hong Kong: Sarr earns Spurs win at Kai Tak – as it happened

Spurs’ Son Heung-min plays and Gyokeres makes Arsenal debut as Premier League pair contest historic first North London derby outside UK.

Tottenham players celebrate at Kai Tak Stadium. Photo: Elson Li
English Premier League

Arsenal selfies, Spurs drones, a HK$200,000 bus: football fever sweeps Hong Kong

Ahead of the Arsenal v Tottenham match at Kai Tak Stadium, rival fan clubs add to the buzz around Hong Kong Football Festival.

Some lucky Tottenham fans will arrive at Kai Tak Stadium in an open-top bus. Photo: Handout
Kai Tak Sports Park

Hong Kong visit gives Arsenal’s US$74 million Gyokeres ‘good first impression’

Swede poised for debut in sold-out Kai Tak Stadium clash with Tottenham Hotspur, days after transfer from Sporting Lisbon.

Kai Tak Sports Park

Hong Kong Football Festival: Arsenal training session draws mainland, Macau fans

Excitement at public training session in Kai Tak Stadium, before Arsenal’s clash with Tottenham Hotspur there on Thursday.

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Kai Tak Sports Park

Tottenham Hotspur make low-key Hong Kong Football Festival entrance

Premier League champions train at Kai Tak Stadium, ahead of Thursday North London derby date with Arsenal.

Tottenham Hotspur train at a relatively quiet Kai Tak Stadium. Photo: Elson Li
Kai Tak Sports Park

Could Son Heung-min play his last North London derby for Spurs in Hong Kong?

As Tottenham prepare to face Arsenal at Kai Tak Stadium on Thursday, their coach Thomas Frank is coy on South Korean’s future.

Italian Serie A

Why is Chinese football developing so slowly? Milan academy coach gives 1 reason

Andrea Galbiati, who moved to the club’s Hong Kong academy from Beijing, reflects on his time in mainland football.

YouTube and YouTubers

Influencers, rappers, YouTubers and fans: AC Milan and Liverpool’s modern media

Chinese rapping star and influential YouTuber among AC Milan followers in Hong Kong, while Liverpool trailed by three fan channels.

Simba Siiviba, who has almost 800,000 followers on Weibo, with an AC Milan mascot. Photo: Weibo
Kai Tak Sports Park

More top clubs tipped to follow Liverpool to Hong Kong, but pitch concerns remain

Kai Tak Stadium CEO and organisers praise football festival, saying Hong Kong is ‘very attractive for promoters’.

videocam
A record 49,704 Kai Tak Stadium crowd watched AC Milan beat Liverpool 4-2 on Saturday. Photo: Sam Tsang

Arsenal seal £55 million Gyokeres deal, expect him to join team in Hong Kong

Premier League club hope Viktor Gyokeres can finally solve lack of firepower upfront and bring silverware back to North London.

Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong expected to gain HK$428 million economic boost from football festival

Eight-day event, featuring stars from clubs such as Liverpool and AC Milan, is boon for retail and hospitality sectors, experts say.

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Italian Serie A

AC Milan idol Pato: time in China one of ‘most important experiences of my life’

Ex-Brazil international played for Tianjin Quanjian in Chinese Super League boom years and faced Diego Forlan’s Kitchee in AFC Champions League.

Alexandre Pato celebrating after scoring for Tianjin Quanjian in an AFC Champions League match against fellow Chinese club Guangzhou Evergrande in 2018. Photo: AFP
Kai Tak Sports Park

Liverpool see ‘only positives’ at Hong Kong Football Festival despite Milan loss

Virgil van Dijk hails ‘fantastic’ Kai Tak Stadium and coach Arne Slot grateful for ‘so much support and love’ after satisfying visit to city.

Liverpool’s Virgil van Dijk heads the ball during the match against AC Milan. Photo: Elson Li
Hong Kong tourism

Record crowd brings Kai Tak Stadium to life amid tourism boom in Hong Kong

Some 49,704 fans watch AC Milan beat Liverpool 4-2 on day when city’s leader hails 12 per cent increase in tourism numbers.

Milan beat Liverpool as Hong Kong Football Festival starts with bang – as it happened

AC Milan defeat Liverpool at Kai Tak Stadium in first game of the festival, after tribute paid to the late Diogo Jota.

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