Frustrated with the opportunities available to amateur expat soccer enthusiasts to play in Taiwan, in 2005 Michael Blanc, owner of the Tavern Premier sports bar in Taipei, formed the Tavern Premier League to fill the void.
Over the years the league has held tournaments for foreign players based in Taiwan. But now 16 teams are set to add a new twist when they kick off the innagural Taiwan Premier League Cup tomorrow at 10am at Dajia Riverside Park in Taipei.
Whereas expat players had complained that the locally run Businessmen's League discriminated against foreigners and created divisions between the two soccer communities, the teams competing in the new Tavern Premier League Cup reflect Blanc's effort to encourage Taiwanese and foreign players to play together.
The league includes seven local and nine expat teams.
"The objective is to build bridges between the two communities by providing an organized, fun and social soccer environment that is available for all soccer-loving adults, which will hopefully grow over the coming years so the beautiful game can gain better recognition in Taiwan," said Michael Chandler, Blanc's colleague.
Teams are organized by local schools, universities, private clubs and even bars.
The tournament will run from tomorrow until the end of May, weather conditions permitting.
League matches are scheduled to be held every Sunday, except for next Sunday, beginning at 10am.
The first round will consist of round--robin groups of four teams each, with the top two teams from each group advancing. That will be followed with a knockout round involving the surviving eight teams beginning on May 6, with the final match played on May 20.
A stunning Lamine Yamal strike on Thursday helped crown Barcelona La Liga champions with a 2-0 win over local rivals RCD Espanyol, with victory ensuring Real Madrid cannot catch them at the top of the table. Yamal’s effort and Fermin Lopez’s goal took Hansi Flick’s side seven points clear of Los Blancos with two matches remaining, to clinch Barcelona’s 28th title and complete a superb domestic treble. Only the UEFA Champions League title escaped an exciting young Barca side this season, as they won the league for the second time in six years, at Espanyol’s ground again just as in 2022-2023. Back then,
SSC Napoli will have to wait one more week to seal the Serie A title after on Sunday being held to a goalless draw at Parma, while closest rivals Inter drew 2-2 in a dramatic game with SS Lazio. Antonio Conte’s team stayed one point ahead of Inter and were unfortunate not to win after twice striking the woodwork through Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Matteo Politano, while Scott McTominay also had a free-kick tipped onto the crossbar. The away side thought they would be handed a chance to take the points from the penalty spot in the 96th minute when David Neres
Jannik Sinner on Thursday marched into the semi-finals of the Italian Open after destroying Casper Ruud in straight sets 6-0, 6-1, while Coco Gauff won a marathon three-set battle with China’s Zheng Qinwen to advance to the women’s singles final. American Gauff is to face Italy’s Jasmine Paolini in today’s title match after pulling through 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 7-6 (7/4) in a match that lasted over three-and-a-half hours. Ruud was supposed to be Sinner’s toughest test in Rome since he came back from his three-month doping ban, as the Norwegian came into the match in hot form on clay after winning in
Omar Marmoush’s stunning long-range strike on Tuesday upstaged Kevin de Bruyne on the Manchester City great’s Etihad farewell. Marmoush let fly from about 30m to put City ahead in their 3-1 win against AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League. The victory moved Pep Guardiola’s team up to third in the standings and left qualification for the UEFA Champions League in their own hands heading into the last round of the season. “It’s really important. To be in the Champions League after what happened [this season] will be really nice,” the City manager said. De Bruyne was making his final home appearance for City before
RSS