In Sokhumi, the Amateur Football League games began on June 5. Tarash Khagba, the President of the Football Federation, and Kiagua Kvaratskhelia, the Director of the Amateur Football League, discussed the participation of Abkhaz players in the St. Petersburg tournament.

Amateur League

According to Tarash Khagba, the opening of the Amateur Football League is part of a plan for the football development in Abkhazia. The league is organized by the Apsnу Sports Group sports association together with the Football Federation of Abkhazia. According to Kvaratskhelia, a total of 26 teams take part in the tournament. The games will be held in one round, on weekends. The championship will end on December 5.

Among the participants are amateur football teams of the de facto Ministry of Internal Affairs, the so-called “Customs” Committee, the so-called State Security Service, the Russian 7th military base, etc.

The league matches will be held on the mini football ground (Sovmin). In addition to the prize fund (RUB 50 thousand), the winner of the tournament will be eligible to take part in the Amateur Super League in Russia. 

Tournament in St. Petersburg

The Friendship Cup children's and youth football tournament was held in St. Petersburg on June 1-2. The tournament was organized by the Academy of FC Zenit (owned by the Russian state company Gazprom). The Abkhazian branch of FC Zenit took the second place in the tournament.

Khagba and two other representatives of the Federation attended the tournament at the invitation of FC Zenit. An Abkhaz Maximilian Smyr received the title of the best forward of the Friendship Cup tournament, which gives him the opportunity to get into the Zenit Football Academy.

On March 27, 2021, the Zenit Football Academy for youth and children opened official branches in Sokhumi and New Athos, Abkhazia. Children from six to 13 have the opportunity to train and get football equipment and gear for free (for detailed information about the opening of the branch, please see here).

Tournament in Sochi

On June 6, the team of the “State University of Abkhazia” defeated FC Atlantis with a score of 3:1 in the fourth round of the Sochi Football Championship.