PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Philadelphia International Unity Cup, Philly's multicultural soccer tournament between neighborhoods, is coming back this year after 2020's cancellation due to COVID-19.
"We're going to still try and engage 52 countries like the last time we played," said Unity Cup director Bill Salvatore. "If we fall a little bit short, that's fine. If we get more, that's great."
The Unity Cup is also launching a women's tournament in 2021. Organizers are getting interest from female soccer players around the area.
"They're super excited," Salvatore said. "I know when I teased it on the group chat, countries stepped up right away."
He said Ethiopia and Jamaica were the first two teams to sign up and play in the women's tournament.
"The question is, how big can it get?" Salvatore asks. "Will it be as big as the men's tournament or bigger? It could be bigger, because you know how big women's soccer is in the country."
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Unity Cup organizers are also implementing COVID-19 restrictions.
"We are going to put these teams into pods, really stagger the games so there's no mixing of teams. You'll just be grouped with the four teams you're with," Salvatore explained.
He adds that spectators will also clear out after each contest, before the next set of spectators is allowed in for the upcoming game.
"Even though we're moving forward with an event like this, we are going to be super safe."
The tournament is expected to start in late August or early September.