"Without Aboitiz sponsoring (us), there would be no cornerstone for building football in the city," Cebu Football Association board member and Cebu International School supervisor Mark Bretherton said during the launching of the 9th Aboitiz season yesterday.

The Aboitiz Cup, Cebu's most prestigious football tournament, serves as CFA's selection process for the Philippine Football Federation (PFF), which organizes national competitions. Around 230 teams, totaling 2,523 players, are vying in the 22 events of the 10th season of the Cup, surpassing the 141 teams which took part in 12 events last year. The Cup is being played every weekend while the Aboitiz Football Festival will be held on September 23 to 24 at the Cebu city Sports Center.