The sun has returned to Taipei after last month's bleak weather and the nation's expat soccer teams will be hoping it sticks around this weekend as the Tavern Premier Spring Cup takes place in the capital.
Buses and trains full of foreign soccer players from all around the nation will be heading up to Taipei tonight and early tomorrow to take part.
This year Taipei is hosting the Spring Cup rather than the Summer Cup because the pitches to be used are to be closed and upgraded for next year's Deaflympics.
Sixteen teams will compete tomorrow and on Sunday. The group stages will be played tomorrow starting at 10:30am with the matches lasting 25 minutes each.
There will be four groups of four teams, with the top two after the group games progressing to the second group stage of the competition, which starts on Sunday and culminates in the final at 4:30pm.
Teams that do not make the second group stage will not be forgotten, however, as they will enter a plate competition that also begins on Sunday, with the final being played at 4pm.
Group A boasts Kaohsiung Pacers, Da-an, Tavern Premier League champions the Taipei Eagles and Shane.
Taichung Tubbies, Tainan Phoenix, Red Star Tainan and the Taipei Black Stars will do battle in Group B.
Group C will see Taichung Compass, Scunners, JFC and the Red Lions fight it out while Group D consists of Kaohsiung Massive, Carnegies, Celts and the Taipei Animals.
The action kicks off at the Yingfeng Sports Park (迎風河濱運動場), next to Dajia Riverside Park, off Binjiang Street in Taipei, tomorrow morning.
Snacks, soft drinks and beer will be available to supporters.
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