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One of the most highly anticipated pre-season competitions has got to be the Emirates Cup. The competition which takes its name from Arsenal’s main sponsor Emirates was started back in 2007 and has been hosted by Arsenal every year except 2012 due to London being the venue for the Summer Olympics. Arsenal got the idea of starting the Emirates Cup after regularly taking part in the Amsterdam Tournament hosted by Ajax since 1975 and have been declared champions thrice in six appearances. The Amsterdam Tournament was very well received by Gooners which caused Arsenal to create a similar competition.
The Emirates Cup’s point system is also derived from the Amsterdam Tournament with a team gaining three points for a win, one for a draw and none for a loss. Teams can also earn an additional point for every goal scored. The additional points system was phased out in 2011 but made a return in the 2013 tournament and has stuck ever since. In the event of a tie a team can get ahead by registering more shots on target.
The Cup has been met with as much success as the Amsterdam Tournament with 18 of Europe’s top teams participating. The inaugural tournament was won by Arsenal who also won the 2009 and 2010 editions. The other teams who have lifted the Emirates Cup are Bundesliga side Hamburg who won the trophy in 2008, MLS side New York Red Bulls who were the victors of 2011, Galatasaray who walked away with the trophy in 2013 and the tournaments latest winners Valencia. Ligue 1 side Paris Saint Germain hold the record for being the team that has appeared most frequently in the tournament with three appearances and counting.
An interesting fact of the Emirates Cup is while the tournament has included teams from La Liga, Bundesliga, Serie A, Ligue 1, the Argentina Primera Division and the Primera Liga, no English team has been invited to participate in the tournament. That may change in the coming years with more and more pundits and fans alike taking a liking to the Emirates Cup.
Key Facts
One of the main attractions of the competition is the chance to see the youth players from Arsenal’s highly decorated academy showcase their talent. The Emirates Cup serves as a great launching pad for the clubs highly rated prospects with talented Arsenal youngsters like Chuba Akpom, Serge Gnabry, Yaya Sanogo and Gedion Zelalem all putting in impressive performances over the past two editions.
The competitions trophy has been designed by Thomas Fattorini, who is a well known and respected name in English football as his family company, Fattorini & Sons, have crafted trophies for various English competitions since 1827. The trophy has asymmetrical flowing lines on its base, lip and handles which take inspiration from the Emirates Stadium’s distinctive rooftop. The Emirates logo along with the words ‘Emirates Cup’ is etched onto the face of the trophy.
The Emirates Cup is broadcasted on a global scale with ESPN broadcasting it in the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and Brazil, Al Jazeera Sports in the Middle East, Sony Six in India and Fox Soccer Channel in the United States. The tournament can also be streamed live on Arsenal’s official website if fans have subscribed to the Arsenal Player service.
Some sections of the Gunners support have labelled the tournament as pointless but I completely disagree as I believe it’s a great way for Arsenal players to regain their match fitness and ready themselves for playing in the Premier League by facing some top European sides along with a golden opportunity for Arsenal’s youth to show what they can do.
As I end this I hope you’ve gained proficient knowledge of the Emirates Cup history and wish you give this brilliant tournament a watch when it returns next summer.
