Namibia to host Neymar Jr Five Soccer Tournament

NDN Staffer

WINDHOEK, 25 APR – Red Bull Namibia in partnership with Bank Windhoek as main sponsor, Snickers, NBC and Fresh FM announced the launch of the Neymar Jr’s Five soccer tournament.

The road to the third Neymar Jr’s Five World Final has already begun. More than 60 countries from 6 continents will be hosting tournament qualifiers, where players will compete with the same dream of making it through the qualifiers, to their national final to book a ticket to the World Final, which will be celebrated for the third time at Instituto Projeto Neymar Jr in Praia Grande, Brazil.

Neymar Jr’s Five is the Brazilian star’s signature five-a-side tournament bringing players aged 16 to 25 from all corners of the world together to celebrate their shared passion: football.
It is a fast, technical and fun competition.

In 2017 over 100 000 players from 53 countries took part in the Neymar Jr’s Five and this year 62 countries will line up with the chance to show off their skills to Neymar Jr, come the Word Final at the Instituto Projeto Neymar Jr Praia Grande, in Brazil on 21st July 2018. The location of the World Final, Instituto Projeto Neymar Jr, is a private, non-profit association dedicated to social causes, set up by Neymar Jr and his family.

Neymar Jr explains: “I’m very happy to increase the number of players, the number of teams signing up and the number of countries has also increased. It’s very big but I hope it can get even bigger. We have more teams than the World Cup, which has 32 teams.”

No gender limitation, that means mixed teams can enter, and of course female teams competing in the same format of 10 minutes of intense action, no goalkeepers and teams losing a player every time the opposition scores.

Neymar Jr adds: “It is important for us to have the girls participating. I think it increases the possibility of having more people want to participate. What makes me really excited is that each edition brings more players from more countries so I’m glad to know that everyone wants to participate, and I feel happy to be part of it, this is what excites me the most.”
Qualifiers will be hosted in Swakopmund, Oshakati and Windhoek.
The best Namibian 16 teams will play it out at the National Final which will be held at the UN Plaza in Windhoek at the end of June, 2018.

Only one Namibian team will win the main prize: An all-expenses paid trip to Brazil to play against Neymar Jr and his team in the World Final.

Jacquiline Pack, Bank Windhoek’s Executive Officer for Marketing and Corporate Communication Services said: “As a proud developmental partner of Namibian sports, Bank Windhoek is excited to be part of an event of this magnitude. We look forward in joining Red Bull around the country for what will be a breath-taking showcasing of young Namibian soccer talent. Bank Windhoek believes in connecting athletes to realise positive change and growth. The Neymar Jr’s Five will equip our youngsters with new skills and open their world to new and exciting opportunities.”

To find out more about the qualifiers in Namibia and your pathway to playing at the World Finals, follow www.neymarjrsfive.com and sign up your five-a-side team.