Taiwan’s national soccer squad is scheduled to play two friendly matches this week against an elite selection of college players from Japan, while officials said plans are in the works for a top-level international tournament in Taiwan next year.
This week’s “Taiwan-Japan Friendly Series” matches are scheduled for tomorrow and Thursday at 7pm at the Taipei Municipal Stadium.
Chinese Taipei Football Association (CTFA) officials said the friendly series was co-organized with the Japan University Football Association (JUFA), adding that the competition would give players valuable experience.
Satoshi Imai, the Japanese coach at the helm of Taiwan’s national soccer squad, has been instrumental in forging a close link between the two nations.
“JUFA will have a 26-man roster for these two matches, which will have some of Japan’s top college players,” Imai said at a news briefing last week.
“It will be a very good competition for Taiwanese players, because both sides can play at a high level and be challenged by skilled opponents,” he said, adding that he had selected 35 players for the Taiwan squad.
The CTFA organized a session for national squad players to meet fans at the Taipei Municipal Stadium yesterday.
Meanwhile, CTFA secretary-general Chen Wei-jen said Taiwan is planning to host an international soccer tournament next year.
Chen said the tournament is being designed in concert with the government’s “new southbound policy,” adding that he would invite top teams from Vietnam, Cambodia and other Southeast Asian nations to compete.
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