The Székely Land International Youth Football Tournament (SZINLT) for U17 teams was officially launched on Wednesday with a press conference, where Technical Director Zoltán Dusinszki and Sports Director Szilárd Cseke shared the key details of the event.
The Székely Land International Youth Football Tournament (SZINLT) for U17 teams was officially launched on Wednesday with a press conference, where Technical Director Zoltán Dusinszki and Sports Director Szilárd Cseke shared the key details of the event.
The tournament has become a tradition, now being held for the eighth time. It is a prominent event within the Carpathian Basin Academy System, where member academies’ teams can test their strength against each other – explained Zoltán Dusinszki. The technical director outlined the tournament format: the competition is structured into two groups. Group A includes FK Csíkszereda, Topolya (Bačka Topola, Serbia), and Munkács (Mukachevo, Ukraine), while Group B features Puskás Academy (Hungary), DAC Dunaszerdahely (Dunajská Streda, Slovakia), and Eszék (NK Osijek, Croatia). Rankings within the groups will be determined by points, followed by head-to-head results, and if still tied, by penalty shootouts held after matches. Following the group stage from Wednesday to Friday, placement matches will take place on Saturday, with the final scheduled for 3:00 PM.
Dusinszki emphasized that the presence of strong teams ensures a high-level tournament that greatly benefits player development by offering international match experience – an opportunity not always available in youth training. Similar tournaments are organized for other age groups within the system: the U19 event is held in Dunaszerdahely, and the U15 event traditionally takes place in Topolya. These tournaments also serve as a benchmark for academy leaders, providing insight into the work being done across various youth development centers, and allowing the Puskás Academy to scout talented players for its own teams.
Szilárd Cseke, sports director of FK Csíkszereda, added that the academy had already hosted another international event last week – the Csaba Burus Memorial Tournament for U15 teams – and this week’s tournament continues that momentum. “We hope our guests will feel welcome; we’re doing everything we can to make that happen. The teams are accommodated on the academy premises, and we are striving to provide all the conditions expected at such a tournament,” he said. Due to recent rain, the first day's matches have been moved from the Burus Csaba Sportpark's natural grass pitches to the artificial turf behind the Márton Áron High School, to preserve the fields. Organizers hope to return to the original venue starting Thursday.
“We warmly welcome everyone, as this promises to be a high-quality tournament with some real football treats. We might even see players who will soon feature in senior teams, perhaps even as early as this season,” Cseke concluded.
Tournament schedule:
Wednesday, July 30
16:00 FK Csíkszereda – TSC Topolya
18:00 Puskás Akadémia – DAC
Thursday, July 31
16:00 Topolya – Munkács
18:00 DAC – Eszék
Friday, August 1
16:00 Eszék – Puskás Akadémia
18:00 Munkács – FK Csíkszereda
Saturday, August 2
09:30 5th–6th Place Playoff
11:30 Third Place Match
15:00 Final
Rédai Attila
Photo: Pál Zoltán