THE Penang Sports Club (PSC) is set to host 60 participating teams for the 25th PSC International Soccer 7’s 2026 at its grounds this weekend.
To mark the silver jubilee edition of the tournament, organising chairman Balasubramaniam Alagusundaram said several long-time participating teams would be honoured with souvenirs during a welcoming dinner on Jan 17 (Saturday) at the club premises.
“We want to appreciate their support over the years, some of whom have been participating since our inaugural tournament in 2000,” he said.
Adding to the celebratory atmosphere, a special lucky draw will be held during the tournament, with prizes worth a total of RM10,000.
Balasubramaniam also expressed his appreciation to the state government, State Youth, Sports and Health Committee chairman Daniel Gooi, State Tourism and Creative Economy Committee chairman Wong Hon Wai, the Penang State Sports Council, and Bukit Bendera MP Syerleena Abdul Rashid for their support. He further acknowledged major sponsors, including RGB Sdn Bhd, Inter Great Group, and Carlsberg Malaysia.
“More than 40 per cent of the teams are from overseas, while the rest are from Malaysia,” he added.
Among the confirmed foreign teams are participants from Australia, China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore and Brunei.
Malaysia will also be strongly represented, with teams travelling from Kedah in the north, Johor in the south, and Sabah in East Malaysia.
“All in all, about 1,000 participants are expected to throng the Penang Sports Club field and Penang Island over the weekend, promoting football and tourism for the state,” Balasubramaniam said.
Tournament director Datuk Mohd Junid Mohd Noor, who has been involved in the PSC International 7’s since its inception, recalled that only 12 teams competed in the inaugural veterans’ tournament.
“I remember that the Hong Kong team that won the first tournament gave back the prize money of RM1,000. They told us to use it to continue organising the Sevens. That was their spirit,” said Mohd Junid, who also played in the inaugural edition.
“As the years went by, we introduced the Masters’ category at the players’ request, as some of the veterans grew older. I also recall a Singaporean player sponsoring the Challenge Trophy. Later, we added the Grandmasters’ category.”
Mohd Junid, 81, a former sports director of Universiti Sains Malaysia and former secretary of the Football Association of Penang, said organisers have always been receptive to feedback from participating teams.
“We listen to their suggestions and criticisms and do what we can to improve, although some matters are beyond our control,” he said.
Tournament technical chairman C. Nadarajan, a former national footballer, said the competition will be played in three categories:
- Veterans’ Category – restricted to three players aged between 35 and 40, with the rest above 40
- Masters’ Category – restricted to three players aged between 45 and 50, with the rest above 50
- Grandmasters’ Category – restricted to three players aged between 55 and 60, with the rest above 60
Deputy technical chairman Prasath Tiagarajan, who introduced a mobile app last year to provide teams with access to the tournament draw and schedule, said the draw was conducted online two days ago and attracted over 120 viewers.
“The app allows teams to follow daily programmes easily. Instead of everyone gathering at once for registration and causing congestion, the staggered schedule enables teams to arrive at their allocated times, making it far more convenient,” he said.
For football enthusiasts, the tournament also offers a chance to watch former stars roll back the years and showcase their enduring skills on the pitch.
The draw:
Veteran:
Group A: Port Rangers, Malaysian Grasshoppers, Binjai Putra FC, Penang Sports Club
Group B: Tiger FC, PRGL Bukit Pelanduk, BMFC, Song Rangers
Group C: SKBB FC, Black Eagles, PISS, OJFC
Group D: OFA, Hobbit FC, Selangor All Star, IRC Negeri Sembilan
Group E: Jurong Weston, UKRC MRM, Inter Nacionale FC
Masters:
Group A: Inter Nacionale FC, Ade H&A Original, Selangor All Star, PISS
Group B: MRM, Penang Sports Club, Melwood Boys, Singapore Recreation Club
Group C: Malaysian Grasshoppers, Royal Selangor Club, Club SC Melaka, Jurong Weston
Group D: IRC Negeri Sembilan, MDA FC, Song Rangers, Black Eagles
Grandmasters:
Group A: IA Penang, Happy Soccer Club, SG Penguins, Penampang Old Boys, Selangor All Stars, Club SC Melaka, Northern Rangers
Group B: The Reds Sabah, Essex La Sallians, Port Rangers, Penang Sports Club, Singapore Recreation Club, Royal Selangor Club, Youngsters FC
Group C: Fat Boys, Macallum Sports Club, Mitsubishi Motors JB, MRM, Nashrey FT, SCC Legends, Malaysian Grasshoppers
Story by K.H. Ong
Pix by Siew Chia En and courtesy of Penang Sports Club