Leading promoters are already plotting to bring more marquee football to Hong Kong after visits from English, Italian and Saudi clubs this summer.
Nearly 100,000 fans watched Football Festival matches involving Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and AC Milan at Kai Tak Stadium last month, before last week’s three Saudi Super Cup games drew a combined total of about 60,000 to Hong Kong Stadium.
In May, Manchester United beat Hong Kong in front of 33,000, also at Hong Kong Stadium. And Paul Kam, whose ProEvents company arranged English Premier League giants United’s tour, has opened talks with English officials about reviving the Premier League Asia Trophy in Hong Kong next year.
“I am always wanting to bring the Premier League trophy back here,” Kam said. “The World Cup is in America next year, so more clubs will come to Asia. The Premier League opened an office in Beijing [last October] and they want to come.”
Kam, who is also talking to clubs outside England about potential matches in the city, oversaw Hong Kong’s 2011 and 2013 Asia Trophies, bringing over Chelsea, Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Manchester City, Sunderland and Tottenham. The tournament, typically held in summer between four clubs, was last played in Hong Kong in 2017.
