Title holder Brighton & Hove Albion to face Yokohama F Marinos at 2025 HKFC Standard Chartered Soccer Sevens
Defending champions Brighton & Hove Albion will take on Japan's Yokohama F Marinos in the group phase of the 2025 HKFC Standard Chartered Soccer Sevens when the globally-renowned tournament returns at the Hong Kong Football Club from 16-18 May.
Brighton won the title for the first time last year with a 2-0 victory over seven-time champions Aston Villa, and the English Premier League club will also take on Singapore Football Club and the Yau Yee League Select in Group C of this year's competition.
The HKFC Standard Chartered Soccer Sevens will feature 16 teams from around the world in the Main Event, while the six-team Women's Tournament and the always popular Masters Tournament also return. "We're delighted that the HKFC Standard Chartered Soccer Sevens is back with another stellar line-up," Scott Semple, Chairman of the HKFC Soccer Sevens Organising Committee, said at the tournament draw on Wednesday.
"We will witness a lot of different styles that will test every team, and we're excited for this year's event. We've seen some of the finest players in the world feature at Sports Road at the beginning of their careers and the football on offer in May will be of the highest calibre.
"We're honoured to have extended our relationship with Standard Chartered Priority Private and it gives us great pride to also be continuing the Women's Tournament after its hugely successful launch last year.
Aston Villa will face Australia's Western United FC as well as Macau FA and HKFC Captain's Select in Group A with Leicester City, winners in 2013 and 2017, meeting the Netherlands' AZ Alkmaar, Hong Kong China U22s and Hong Kong Football Club in Group B.
West Ham United will feature in Group D, where they will be joined by tournament debutants Larne FC from Northern Ireland, Hong Kong's BC Rangers and the Singapore Cricket Club.
The Women's Tournament returns after its successful launch last year, with Welsh outfit Wrexham AFC headlining the line-up as one of three overseas-based clubs to feature in the competition for the first time. Wrexham will be joined by Thailand's Chonburi FC and Eastern Thunder from Singapore as well as Hong Kong Football Club, TSL FC and Kitchee. Teams will face off in a round-robin competition with the top two finishers advancing to the final.
Former Masters event champions Wallsend Boys Club HK will look to reclaim the title they won in 2022 and 2023 and have been drawn in Group B to face previous winners Ampcontrol Discovery Bay, HKFC Masters and the Yau Yee League All Stars.
Group A, meanwhile, will see last year's runners-up, Singapore Football Club Masters, take on KCC Veterans, HKFC Chairman's Select and Singapore Cricket Club Masters.
"This is such an exciting part of the year for us because this is the start of the HKFC Standard Chartered Soccer Sevens," HKFC Chairman Neil Jensen said. "The Soccer Sevens has been going since 1999 and the fact we have been able to grow the tournament is a testimony to the efforts of everyone at the Hong Kong Football Club, in particular those who work on the event, those who support it and those who play in it.
"The tournament sold out in advance last year and we expect it to do so again this year, so anyone wanting to come should move quickly to secure their tickets.
The Masters and Women's Tournaments will commence proceedings on 16 May before the Main Event kicks off on 17 May. Matches will then run throughout 17 and 18 May. Tickets for the event will be available soon on zicket.co, stay tuned on social media for update.
Free entry for all on May 16 and free entry for children under 5 years old all weekend. Single day tickets cost $180 for adults, $50 for juniors (5-18 years old) per day, and weekend passes are $30.
Don't miss the opportunity to witness world-class football at the HKFC Standard Chartered Soccer Sevens.
2025 HKFC Standard Chartered Soccer Sevens Draw Main Event
Group A: Aston Villa, Western United FC, Macau FA, HKFC Captain's Select.
Group B: Leicester City, AZ Alkmaar, Hong Kong China U22, Hong Kong Football Club.
Group C: Brighton & Hove Albion, Yokohama F Marinos, Singapore Football Club, Yau Yee League Select.
Group D: West Ham United, Larne FC, BC Rangers, Singapore Cricket Club.
Women's Tournament.
Hong Kong Football Club TSL FC Kitchee Eastern Thunder Chonburi FC Wrexham AFC
Masters Tournament.
Group A: Singapore Football Club Masters, KCC Veterans, HKFC Chairman's Select, Singapore Cricket Club Masters.
Group B: Wallsend Boys Club HK, Ampcontrol Discovery Bay, HKFC Masters, Yau Yee All Stars.