Premier League academies West Ham and Everton are set to kick off the Next Gen Cup in India. On Wednesday, the third iteration of the youth competition, sponsored by the Reliance Foundation, gets underway in Navi Mumbai with the Hammers playing on ATK Mohun Bagan. Sudeva Delhi, Bengaluru, and Reliance Foundation youth Champs, additional Reliance Foundation Development League teams, compete against the youth players of ATK Mohun Bagan. The other international participant in the competition is Stellenbosch of the South African Premier Soccer League. They were placed in the same group as Bengaluru and West Ham.
The tournament, which was hosted in England last year, included Tottenham, Crystal Palace, Nottingham Forest, Leicester, and West Ham. In 2020, Chelsea took home the inaugural title. Former Irons fullback and current West Ham academy boss Kenny Brown feels that the club and the Hammers U19 team competing in the Premier League Next Generation Cup will rise to the occasion.
“Our young players and staff will get the incredible chance to travel to India for the Premier League Next Generation Cup and explore a new culture while competing in some really tough matches,” Brown said after West Ham and Everton are set to kick off the Next Gen Cup in India. “We are grateful for the opportunity to represent West Ham United onboard and anticipate a fruitful 10 days.”
“We’re thrilled to bring the Next Generation Cup back to India for a third time. An essential collaboration between the Premier League and the Reliance Foundation Development League is symbolized by the competition,” Premier League Director of Football Neil Saunders said. “The Premier League is happy to have a dedicated fan base in India, and we hope that our joint efforts will help the game grow and flourish in this country.”
“There is a wealth of untapped football potential in India. To assist football in India, we are pleased to continue our cooperation with the Premier League. Likewise, I wish every team the best of success in the next event and hope that everyone will have a good time there,” a spokesperson for Reliance Foundation said.
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