9th Aaha Gold Cup Kicks Off

9^th Aaha Gold Cup has kicked off in the Western Nepal City of Pokhara from today. This tournament can be called the most important knock-out club competition in Nepal with prominent clubs from across the country participating along with some foreign Clubs.

Aaha Gold Cup is organized by the Sahara Club which has been promoting football in that part of the world for many years now. It also runs an Academy where a considerable number of boys from across the region train. Anil Gurung one of the best strikers to have emerged out of Nepal in the recent times was also a product of this Academy. Anil currently plays for the Indian side Shillong Lajong FC.

This year the Tournament will run till the 29^th of January with twelve teams in the fray. One team from Pakistan will also participate along with Sahara Club (United Kingdom).Winner will get richer by Nepali Rupees two lakh and the runners up will get Rs One lakh.There are also plenty of other individual prizes to be won.

Nepal Police Club has won this tournament five times and are the consecutive champions for the last three years. Manang Marsyandi Club has also lifted this trophy for two consecutive times in 2004 and 05 and other winners include Three Star Club and African United FC.

Aaha Gold Cup has come a long way since its humble beginning in the year 2002.Over the years it has grown into a very prominent tournament of Nepal with Clubs and players looking forward to participating and winning the coveted Trophy. With new sponsors joining in each year coupled with the tireless efforts of the Sahara Club officials it has also started making profits which the Sahara Club intends to use for the promotion of football in Pokhara. People of Pokhara also support this tournament whole heartedly and fill up the stadium right from the first match to the Finals.

It can be said without a doubt that this tournament will grow in stature over the coming years and has the potential to become one of the best tournaments in the South Asian region, only hindrance can be the stadium but there are already plans to upgrade it to the FIFA standards once that happens Aaha Gold Cup can attract even bigger clubs from across the region and in future become the most talked about Football Tournament in the region.