CLARK FREEPORT, Pampanga — More than 120 teams from across Central Luzon and other parts of the country gathered in Clark on Saturday, March 28, for the opening of the Hausland-CIFA Cup 2026, a two-day football festival aimed at strengthening grassroots football and youth development in the region.
Held at The Villages at Global Clark, the tournament brought together young football players, coaches, parents, and supporters, with organizers expecting over 3,500 attendees each day.
Hausland Holdings Inc. president and CEO Atty. Christopher Ryan Tan and Clark International Football Academy (CIFA) president Alexander Dy-Reyes led the opening ceremonies, joined by participating teams, sponsors, and partners.
Also welcoming the participants was Matt Attaway, general manager of The Mansion and The Villages, which hosted the football festival.
Tan said the tournament is meant to do more than stage competition, stressing the role of sports in teaching young athletes how to deal with adversity.
“Even as we now stare at a very tough time ahead of us, the significance of games like this is to teach leadership and resilience among our young,” Tan said.
Addressing the players, he said football can teach them lessons that extend beyond the field.
“When you fall, you stand. When it is difficult, we fight,” he said.
Hausland said it has extended support to CIFA not only for the tournament but also for the academy’s year-round football programs, as part of efforts to help grow the sport in Clark and Pampanga.
During the opening program, Tan also announced the soft launch of HUE Grounds, which he described as the company’s first tournament-grade natural grass football field located at Timog Triangle along Friendship Highway in Angeles City.
He also said plans are underway to revive the Pampanga-Clark football association, which he said would help further organize and strengthen the local football community.
For CIFA, the partnership with Hausland provides a boost to its mission of developing young athletes and widening access to football opportunities in the region.
“Hausland continues to be a strong partner in our mission to develop grassroots football. Their contributions — both in events like the CIFA Cup and infrastructure like HUE Grounds — help us provide better opportunities for young players,” Dy-Reyes said.
The Hausland-CIFA Cup 2026 runs until Sunday, March 29. DP/IORBITNEWS