The German embassy and Sofia city authorities have drawn inspiration from the World Cup 2006, being hosted in Germany, by organising a charity football tournament in Bulgaria’s capital city, entitled Sport City Mondial 2006.

The amateur competition starts on the opening day of the World Cup on June 9, and finishes nine days later on June 18.

All the games are to be played at the wonderful mini soccer fields in Borisovata Gradina. The patrons of the event are the mayor of Sofia, Boiko Borissov, and the acting head of the German embassy, Elmar Timpe.

As in the World Cup, there are 32 teams. In the local event, they will be coming from schools in Sofia, each representing a different country that has qualified for the soccer finals.

Every foreign embassy in Bulgaria that will participate in the World Cup has been invited to send a representative to take part in Sport City Mondial 2006, to act as patron of the relevant national team. Where some of the finalists in Germany have no embassy in Sofia, patrons will be appointed from international or national institutions.

The main goal of the amateur football tournament is to raise funds for charity, with all proceeds going to orphans in Bulgaria.