Vitoria-Gasteiz hosted this Thursday the official presentation of the second edition of the Vitoria-Gasteiz Cup, the grassroots football tournament that this June will once again turn the capital of Alava into a stage for competition, coexistence, and sport based on values. The event took place at the new facilities of Rural Kutxa and brought together institutional representatives, sponsors, and media around a project that aims to establish itself as a benchmark in the Basque Country.
Blanca Foronda, from the Grupo Amutio, and Gaizka Toquero, as organizers of the tournament, were responsible for detailing the data of an edition that is growing in all dimensions: 60 teams divided into four categories – mixed U11, mixed U13, male U15, and female U15 – eleven playing fields distributed across the city's municipal facilities, and nearly 150 matches in just three days. Public access to all matches will be free.
The matches will be played on the fields of Betoño, Olaranbe, Abetxuko, Ariznabarra, Los Astrónomos, San Martín, and La Vitoriana, with the first duels scheduled for Friday the 26th, starting at 4:00 PM. In the sporting aspect, Toquero highlighted the international presence as the main novelty: a Mexican team will compete in the U15 category. "The women's category is also growing, adding two more teams to reach ten, with the incorporation of Madrid femenino and Deportivo Alavés, among others," he added.
Beyond the numbers, Foronda wanted to emphasize the spirit that has shaped the tournament since its inception: "It was born thinking beyond the score. To create a space where grassroots football is the pretext for something much more important: coexistence, values, camaraderie, and the experience that the kids take with them, far beyond the playing field".
In the same vein, Toquero was emphatic about the project's philosophy: "This is not a business, this is a feeling. It's about doing good for the children, trying to improve every day without forgetting where we come from or who we want to support." The aim is for "Vitoria-Gasteiz to experience a great grassroots football atmosphere" and for it to be "an event to enjoy with the family".
The tournament's opening will have a special showcase. On Friday the 26th, at 8:00 PM, the Plaza de la Virgen Blanca will host the inaugural gala, with the presentation of the participating teams and Leire Barriocanal as the master of ceremonies. Saturday will be a full day of competition, with matches from 9:00 AM to 9:00 PM. On Sunday, the semifinals will lead to an afternoon of finals in Betoño, where the trophy presentation and the tournament's closing ceremony will also be held.
The Gasteiz Cup once again has the support of the Vitoria-Gasteiz City Council and the Basque Government, whose Director of Physical Activity and Sport, Gorka Iturriaga, was also present at the event. "Thank you to all the organizers and to Rural Kutxa for opening your doors for a sports presentation. It's not the first time you've done something like this, but we always want to thank you for your support. This spirit is needed to move forward with so many sports activities as those done in Euskadi. Then, I would like the tournament not to lose those values of equality, inclusion, and competition. That is what makes football great," he stated.
The Councilor for Sport, Ana López de Uralde, spoke about the value that these types of events bring beyond the strictly sporting aspect. "Competition is very important, but those experiences that our boys and girls will live in the Gasteiz Cup will remain in their memory for a very long time," she affirmed. She also focused on the municipal facilities that will host the tournament, public spaces that "precisely fulfill that function: bringing sport closer to citizens and serving as a point of union between people of different backgrounds and ages".
Another element that distinguishes the Gasteiz Cup is its commitment to inclusion. The VG Unity Cup, the inclusive football tournament held in parallel, takes a significant leap this year, moving from a triangular format to having six teams. On the other hand, Ernesto Marín, president of ASPANAFOA – the association of families with children suffering from cancer in Alava – thanked the visibility the tournament provides to his cause and encouraged participation in the raffle of tickets that will be held during the three days of competition. "We are a small association in number, but with big problems," he pointed out.
