1st place

Nigeria
Champions/gold medal

Nigeria SATUC team walloped Liberia 4-0 in the final of the competition to win the trophy. The Nigerian U-16 side scored 26 goals in five matches and conceded only three throughout the competition. Nigeria’s red hot striker, Arafat Hussain scored a brace against Liberia to increase his overall goals to nine to become the most valuable/highest goal scorer of the tournament.

2nd Place / Silver medal
Liberia

Liberia was invited through the Ministry of Youth and Sports to participate in the tournament. The tournament is aimed at giving disadvantaged children and orphans space to excel, making them the center of attention and, through encouragement and mentoring, encouraging their successful self-realization and putting a smile on their faces.

3rd place Bronze medal-Bulgaria

SATUC Bulgarian team beat 4: 2 SATUC Morocco team, they also recorded four victories and only one defeat – in the highly contested semi-final against Nigeria 0: 1

Press Conference

Bulgaria 15 AUG 2018 – Sheikha / Sheikha Al-Thani, the Chairperson of SATUC has met with the Portuguese football legend Nuno Gomes to discuss future collaboration with the 2019 SATUC World Cup. In a warm and extended and conversation at SATUC World Cup Bulgaria, organised by SATUC and BFU in Sofia, Sheikha told the superstar Striker Nuno Gomes about the success of the 2015 SATUC World Cup in Egypt when he was joining 2018 SATUC World Cup in Sofia, and of her hopes of his support in facilitating Portugal team involvement in the 2019 international charity football spectacular.

“It was a huge pleasure and privilege to get the chance to speak to Nuno Gomes one of my biggest heroes in the world of soccer. He has already kindly supported us as SATUC World Cup ambassador to the 2018 SATUC World Cup Bulgaria, and during our conversation he generously expressed willingness to discuss how he might become more involved in the follow-up event.”

Princess Sheikha, who hopes to support from the Portugal striker as she plans the 2019 SATUC World Cup for Disadvantaged, Orphaned and Refugee Children, said that she was “honoured” that Nuno Gomes accepted her invitation to attend to 2018 SATUC World Cup in Sofia, which was held at National Football Centre “Boyana”/Bulgarian Football Union, which aims to help orphans, disadvantage and refugee victims, whose violent campaigns have resulted in millions of people being displaced from their homes.

The event was worth it for SATUC children around the world, which was attended by VIPs from the world of diplomacy, charity, football and music. Sheikha said: “As a great fan of Nuno Gomes and all the work he has done for SATUC, including children. It was a great honour to be Nuno Gomes our Honorary ambassadors for 2018 SATUC World Cup event. It was an unforgettable event.”

“My charity is still young, as I am myself, and hope that I can emulate the professionalism as well as the passion of the Nuno Gomes as it pursues fund-raising efforts directed at providing direct relief to children who have seen or experienced appalling violence.”

Sheikha also took the opportunity to spread the word about SATUC, and to share experiences with others who, like herself, are acutely concerned about the injustice which far too many of the world’s children have to face every day of their lives.!

“I have a lot to learn from people like Nuno Gomes who attend to the 2018 SATUC World Cup Sofia and support these children around the world, such wonderful work from Nuno.” She added.

Nuno Gomes attended the 2018 SATUC world cup event, held 10 Aug- 17 Aug in Sofia, featuring teams of orphans and disadvantaged kids from twelve different countries.

The tournament, which was won by the team of boys from Nigeria, won widespread praise in local and international media for providing priceless opportunities to children from as far afield as the, Nigeria, Peru, Palestine, Bosnia, Cambodia, Syria, Iraq, Mexico, Cameroon, Indonesia, Morocco and Liberia to travel and compete in a spirit of fun and friendship.

The seven-day event, supported by Bulgarian football union and Bulgarian government, most of whom had never left their home city, to travel abroad for the first time and to experience the pride and passion of international competition.  With an exceptionally high standard of skill and effort on display, the tournament was praised by international soccer stars for its exceptionally high standard of sportsmanship and endeavour.

The competing 5-a-side teams came from Nigeria, Peru, Palestine, Bosnia, Cambodia, Syria, Iraq, Mexico, Cameroon, Indonesia, Morocco and Liberia and a team of Bulgaria.

The third edition of SATUC World Cup tournament, scheduled for 2019 and currently in planning, is expected to be on a much larger scale, involving teams of children from 16 nations.

For more information:  Contact Mr Ahmed ATAF on +201221418504 admin@oldweb.satucfootballcup.org

NOTES for editors

Other than the SATUC World Cup, SATUC foundation has several other projects that they are orking on such as the SATUC Education city.

This project will be built in Cairo and the Aim of it is to combine sports with Education, or in other words, to give more opportunities to orphans to plan a life which they can achieve great things and open whichever door they work towards. The charity will work on it so that it will be a place where education is something loved not forced and that the children will want to work and change the world.

Children will start their educational journey at the age of 4 or 5 years; this is so that they would adapt easily into the system and feel a part of the large family in that school. Cooperating with the several ministries such as the ministry of social solidarity and the Ministry of Education we will be able to give those children the best experience during their time at the school. Although at this stage there is no vision of a university being hosted in the city, we will support the children through their application process to universe.

Event Agenda

Sunday 12^th August 

15:05 – 15:50     Opening Ceremony & 1^st Day Match

Monday 13^th August 

16:30 – 17:30   Ambassadors Match & 2^nd Day Match

Tuesday 14th August

16:30 – 17:00    3rd Day Match

Wednesday 15^th August

21:00 – 22:00    4^th Day Match & Closing Ceremony & Award Ceremony

Thursday 16^th August

09:30 – 17:30     Tour

Friday 17^th August

09:30 – 11:30   Departure

Opening Ceremony

SATUC World CUP Bulgaria opening ceremony The SATUC World CUP Bulgaria opening ceremony was a wonderful occasion resplendent with smiles, hope, dancers and fireworks. SATUC World Cup for orphans which was held in Bulgaria under the patronage of Sheikha Sheikha Al Thani partner, SATUC chairperson and founder of World Cup for orphans with the Bulgarian football union under the slogan “Let’s paint white flag blue”, illustrating that there is no difference between children in regard of gender, religion, or color and she treats them equally in order to enable them to engage in the society in which they live. SATUC Cup had a positive effect on the all participating children which was clear through the great happiness on the faces of children either during the matches or accommodation in one of the greatest hotels in Sofia. There was a lot of joy among orphan children from 12 countries and Sheikha Al Thani who was keen to be with children because they are the base of her charity project and one of the main goals in society. The children who participated in the tournament were ecstatic especially because they were the focus of the participants and they were so happy either in the hotel or National Football Centre “Boyana”/Bulgarian Football Union stadium which hosted the tournament. The scorned addition of SATUC World Cup, which involved teams from Bulgaria, Nigeria, Peru, Bosnia, Cambodia, Syria, Iraq, Mexico, Cameroon, Indonesia, Morocco and Liberia, began on 10 August when the teams assembled in Sofia. The 15-16-year-old participants, many of whom had never traveled abroad before, were accommodated with style in the Marinela Hotel, where they received delicious daily meals, and high standards of all-round care. Bulgarian football union also provided packed meals to the players and staff, providing the teams with the energy levels that allowed them to give their best on the field.

Stars Charity Match

SATUC World Cup Charity Exhibition Match which was taking place on 15th of August in Sofia, huge number of World star footballer such as (NUNO GOMES, KOSTADINOV, AZIZ BOUDERBALA, LAKHDAR BELLOUMI) was attend it, and huge number of the children around the world from different countries such as (Bulgaria, Nigeria, Peru, Palestine, Bosnia, Cambodia, Syria, Iraq, Mexico, Cameroon, Indonesia, Morocco and Liberia) was participating to SATUC WORLD CUP 2018 Sofia.

Many of our fantastic ambassadors have come to the event. This exhibition match was meant to send the participating children and all the disadvantaged children around the world that there are people who think about them and would even cross borders for them. After being hurt over the years and feeling alone, their presence would definitely make a difference in their lives. The sporting legend came and stand up for these children in a way which very few people have in their lives; it was mean the absolute world to them.
Lots of love! Lots of smiles! Lost’s of hopes for a better future! We were working hard in preparation for the tournament to give these children a wonderful opportunity. We were confident that with your invaluable support, and sporting legend attendance to the Charity Match on August 15th, 2018, we made a difference to these children’s lives through sporting legend attendance and championing of the cause. These are children that truly deserve our help and sporting legend support. Players were Participating in The Charity Exhibition Match whom the SATUC Sports Department are pleased to be in contact with and It was a remarkable and deeply enjoyable match.

The SATUC world cup was created with an aim to help disadvantaged children in need whilst deterring them from dangerous political associations or ethnic prejudices. We believe that this is instilled through our apolitical stance and the diversity of the participants in our global tournaments. We are dealing very carefully with all our children, believing whole-heartedly that they do not deserve to be victims of political unrest but that they should rather be treated with care and attention.

SATUC is a non-profit organisation which works to help orphans and disadvantaged children around the world.
It focuses on helping to empower them through community projects, equipping children with the social, academic and sporting skills they will need to excel in life. Football, as a team sport is seen by SATUC as a vital tool in achieving our goals. It has a unique ability to transcend social barriers and bring people together. It was that the 2015 SATUC Cup was envisaged, which led on to the successful Sharm El Sheikh Tournament in 2016 and 2018 SATUC World Cup Bulgaria, Sofia.

The SATUC World Cup is held once every two years. It seeks to give disadvantaged and orphaned children the chance to dream bigger and think bigger than their immediate horizons. We give them the gift of confidence and aspiration after all doesn’t every child deserve the chance to excel in life despite their upbringing? While football is a brilliant tool to bring people together through teamwork, providing hope to the hopeless is the true goal.
The children are given the opportunity to participate in a unique sporting event which will change their lives. Children cannot be held responsible for the political unrest, sadness, and suffering of the world which they are born into, which is why we see it as our mission to help them to the best of our abilities through our hard work, and the generosity of our sponsors.

Closing Ceremony