Cape Town – Cape Town is fighting to get at least one top European football team to spend some off-season time here and football fans should know the outcome by the end of next month.
“We are talking to Liverpool and Everton as well as two very top Spanish clubs,” said Grant Pascoe, mayoral committee member for Tourism, Events and Marketing
Pascoe said nothing was finalised yet, but he said there would be clarity by the end of April. “We would really like to have Liverpool here. That would certainly be very good. But we are still in discussions,” he said.
“We are trying to entice them with our venues and our environment, with the fact that we have a beautiful setting… Our good name and reputation is very important in this and we are using it to the full. But Middle Eastern and Eastern countries have a lot more money… and we cannot compete with them financially.”
“Countries such as China, Malaysia and Thailand have big money to throw at enticing these club to their venues. And we all know these clubs always look for more money to fund their teams.”
Some of those countries, and large corporations from there, are sponsors of some of the big teams.
“Tottenham Hotspur have already turned us down, saying they had already planned a full itinerary and would not be able to come, because they were already fully committed to a tour to the East,” Pascoe said.
European football clubs often tour away from home during the off-season, playing friendly matches in countries where they know they have a strong fan base or where they believe they can raise further sponsorships.
Manchester United have visited South Africa twice in recent years, playing matches against local teams, such as Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates and Ajax Cape Town. – Cape Argus