Twenty football teams within the betting and gaming industry will hit the pitch graced by the likes of Messi, Ronaldo and Neymar to compete at the fifth SBC Football Championship, as SBC, once again, brings the industry together to battle it out in a ‘friendly’ football match.
The competition will take place on Tuesday, September 20, just before the pre-registration and the networking drinks ahead of the SBC Summit Barcelona conference and tradeshow at Fira de Barcelona Montjuïc.
The teams will face their ‘rivals’ at the RCDE Stadium, home of La Liga side Espanyol. With a capacity of 40,000 seats, RCDE Stadium is the eighth-largest football stadium in La Liga.
The SBC Football Championship is a fantastic opportunity for various industry stakeholders to play at a historic stadium, catch up with colleagues and friends, and grow their network in a friendly environment.
The 5-a-side tournament will see various industry operators, suppliers, affiliates and media companies sweating it out for prestige and the much-desired trophy. The football match will also celebrate the top goalscorer and the tournament’s best player.
Several companies operating in the industry, such as Bet365, Betcris, Catena Media, CEGO, Coolbet, Dafabet, Entain Group, EveryGame, Fortuna Entertainment Group, IMG Arena, KaFe Rocks, KTO Group, LiveScore Group, MaximBet, Napoleon Sports & Casino, Oddschecker, and SISAL have already picked the players that will represent their company.
As a highlight of the event, former Spain midfielder Gaizka Mendieta will make an appearance to power SBC’s very own football team that will also participate in the tournament. The former Valencia, Lazio and Middlesbrough star will hand the trophies to the tournament winners, sign a few shirts, and take photos with the SBC Football Championship players and guests.
Mendieta commented on his participation in the tournament: “This is not my first time at the SBC Football Championship. I decided to return, as last year was a lot of fun, and it was great to see the industry connecting and having some fun on the pitch. Also, this time around, the Championship takes place in my homeland, so there is no way I am missing this.”
Apart from the privilege and the memorable experience of competing in a stadium like RCDE, SBC Football Championship players will get an official team kit and a guaranteed fanbase to cheer them on, as the tournament will allow spectators at the pitch.
The players and the audience will enjoy BBQ and drinks between the matches before heading to Terazza Miramar for the official pre-registration party of SBC Summit Barcelona after the winner is revealed.
Rasmus Sojmark, CEO & Founder of SBC, said: “This tournament is a dream come true for many football fans. Last year’s Championship at Stamford Bridge was full of friendly banters and a great opportunity for all the players and supporters to network and exchange ideas between the matches. This year, we decided to bring the tournament to Barcelona to kickstart our global event on a positive note.”
He added: “I would personally like to thank our headline sponsors Trustly and BetConstruct and our supporting sponsors bet365, Catena Media, Clever Advertising, Paysafe, Pragmatic Play, Sporting Solutions, Stats Perform, and White Hat Gaming. The RCDE Stadium has seen some of the greatest teams in the world compete for glory. Now it’s our turn!”
Mendieta added: “This is a competitive industry. Competitive industries make for competitive players. Can’t wait to see what these guys got up their sleeves.”
Click here for more information on the SBC Football Championship 2022.