Leading up to the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup, there is an intriguing tournament worth keeping an eye on, known as the Garuda International Cup 2023 (GIC 2023). This tournament is special because it features U-17 players from seven different countries.
The excitement surrounding GIC 2023 has grown as a total of 32 teams from seven different nations have confirmed their participation. This confirmation was made during a press conference for the launch of GIC 3, which took place at ATG Sentul on Saturday, July 1, 2023. The organizing committee of GIC 3 mentioned that this tournament holds particular significance as it is being held following Indonesia’s selection as the host country for the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2023. The FIFA U-17 World Cup is scheduled to take place from November 10 to December 2.
Wahyu Budiarto, the Chairman of the GIC 2023 Organizing Committee, expressed his hope that Garuda International Cup 3 would add to the excitement in the lead-up to the grand event of the FIFA U-17 World Cup 2023 in Indonesia. He stated, “We can ensure that this year will be more exciting because it will feature seven countries, compared to three countries in the first GIC and five countries in GIC 2. So, in terms of competition quantity, it has definitely increased.”
“In terms of quality, it is also improving because this time, we are not only seeing representatives from Sulawesi or Sumatra. We now have domestic participants from various regions, including Jakarta, Papua, Batam, and Kalimantan. So, we have representation from almost every corner of Indonesia,” added Wahyu.
Meanwhile, Novema Andryani, a member of the Steering Committee for GIC 3, believes that this tournament will enhance the atmosphere leading up to the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Indonesia. Furthermore, according to Vema, this tournament provides an opportunity for Indonesian players aged between 12 and 17 to gain experience by competing against foreign teams.
“So, this is really great. For example, one of the participants from Malaysia, Johor Darul Ta’zim, is one of the best clubs not only in Malaysia but also in Asia because they have consistently participated in the AFC Cup, and their academy is outstanding. Now, Indonesian youngsters have the chance to play against JDT, and there are also teams like Shonan Bellmare from Japan and academies from Thailand participating,” Novema added.
Source: football5star