Hong Kong hosting Saudi Super Cup shows deepening ties, football chief Fok says
Fans told to be confident of seeing the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo play, given the matches are competitive rather than friendlies
Hosting the Saudi Super Cup in Hong Kong denoted a “strengthening of the ties” with the desert kingdom, and reflected the city’s growing status as a world-class sporting hub, local football chief Eric Fok Kai-shan said on Wednesday.
Speaking at the official launch of next month’s tournament – which, with Kai Tak Stadium unavailable, will be held at Hong Kong Stadium – Fok called it an “opportunity to showcase our city’s energy, hospitality and passion for football”.
It will mark the first time the Super Cup has been played in East Asia, with Hong Kong becoming only the second place it has been held outside Saudi Arabia, after London hosted it three times from 2015.
Discussions over staging the 12th edition had begun soon after the Football Association of Hong Kong, China (HKFA) and their Saudi counterparts had signed a memorandum of understanding last November, Fok said.
“For the HKFA and our team to improve, we need to connect internationally, learn from others, and this conversation came up when we were talking about collaborating,” the association’s chairman said.
And while promoters Sum KM Sport appear to be relative novices when it comes to staging major events of any kind, Fok seemed confident that fans hoping to see Cristiano Ronaldo would not be disappointed.