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By Amaechi Agbo

The 8th edition of the most outstanding and glamourous youth football scouting competition in Nigeria, the Dreamland-Embassy of Hungary Cup earlier slated to hold in March this year has been postponed till May
The postponement of the nine-day scouting programme became inevitable following the increase in Covid-19 cases in the country and across the world.

It could be recalled that the double award-wining scouting tournament which has become a household name in Nigeria and outside the shores of the country, was scheduled to hold in May, 2020 but has since been postponed three-times no thanks to the ravaging pandemic.

The next edition of the tournament which has produced several players who are now in various leagues in Hungary and other European countries will hold from May, Saturday 1st to Sunday 9th, 2021.

Director of the competition, Mr Ndudi Emmanuel Edede told newsmen on Thursday that the management of Dreamland Football Academy (organizers of the tournament), the Embassy of Hungary in Abuja, Trust Gelei Es Tarsa (FIFA/UEFA Licensed Competition Official Match Agent) as well as the European scouters agreed to shift the competition to a new date in order to give room for the second wave of the virus and the availability of vaccine to fight the pandemic.

Mr Edede who is also the Chief Executive Officer, CEO of Dreamland Football Academy, said that the tournament will see massive improvement in this year’s edition adding that the organisers are putting modalities in place to ensure that the academies and clubs that would participate had a good experience and value addition.

“This postponement of date has become imperative because of the second wave of the coronavirus. After a tripartite meeting – involving Dreamland, the Hungarian Embassy, Trust Gelei Es Tarsa and the European scouters – we resolved that the best option now is to shift the competition to a new date before the summer transfer window opens to give the registered academies time to prepare as well as hope that the virus would have been managed very well and infection reduced.

“Despite the situation the country is facing right now, we are assuring our partners that this edition will witness much improvement from the last edition as the capacity of participating teams has been increased from twelve to sixteen team.

“We therefore use this medium to notify all the registered teams for the youth football competition and the general public to kindly take note of the new date,” he said.

The organisers noted with deep regret any inconvenience this development might cause the registered teams, partners and fans of the tournament who have been eagerly waiting for the commencement of the competition. We are particularly interested in hosting a top quality tournament and having all our Scouter’s present to identity talents.
Galadima Football Academy of Abuja are the defending champions of the 7th Dreamland-Embassy of Hungary Cup Abuja, 2019.

They emerged victorious on November 17, 2019, after defeating hard-fighting Hooke Sports Football Academy, also of Abuja, 5-3 in penalty shootouts that followed the goalless draw at regulation time.