Students from 14 Pattaya-area schools are running their own local version of the World Cup in the two-week Anti-Drugs Youth Football Tournament.
Playing out at the Pattaya Youth Sports Center through July 30, the tournament hosts teams from Pattaya schools No. 1-10, Aksornthepsit, Aksorn Pattaya, Sutrawast, and Pattaya-Arunothai schools.
Like the just-concluded FIFA World Cup competition, the tournament began July 15 with a group round in which four teams play each other once, with the top two teams advancing to the knockout round, in which tied games are decided by penalty shoot-outs.
City Councilman Phial Arromchuen presided over the July 8 group draw for the two divisions of no more than 16 sides. The first division is for boys ages 14 and under, while the second division was for boys ages 15-16.
The tournament has been organized to encourage Pattaya’s teenagers to better utilize their free time and stay away from drugs, as well as showcase talent that could comprise Pattaya’s team at the next local-organization games.
