Volkswagen Gives Young Soccer Players a Shot at the International Stage With Junior Masters Soccer Tournament

Once in a Lifetime Opportunity for Youth Soccer Players to Represent U.S. Leading up to Prestigious 2010 World Cup

Volkswagen of America, the official automotive partner of Major League Soccer, today launched the Volkswagen Junior Masters, a 20-country, international youth soccer tournament. Created by Volkswagen AG, the international competition is the first of its kind in the U.S. One team will have the honor of representing the U.S. (and will enjoy an all expenses paid trip) at the Volkswagen Junior World Master Finals in May 2010 prior to the FIFA World Cup in South Africa. The Volkswagen Junior Masters tournament runs from today through October 2009 and builds upon the company’s global commitment to the sport.

‘As a long-time global supporter of soccer, Volkswagen is taking its U.S. soccer presence to new heights by giving young soccer players the chance to compete on the world stage,’ said Tim Ellis, Vice President of Marketing for Volkswagen of America, Inc. ‘The Volkswagen Junior Masters extends our growing commitment to soccer in the U.S. and complements our existing U.S. soccer initiatives including our sponsorship of MLS, D.C. United and The Footballers’ Clubhaus youth soccer tour.’

The Volkswagen Junior Masters kicks off with preliminary tournaments across the East Coast beginning July 18 in Fort Dix, NJ and continuing on to: Downingtown, PA; Winston Salem, NC; Lancaster, PA; Richmond, VA; and, Parsippany, NJ on October 11. Twelve total teams from the preliminary tournaments will be invited to compete in the U.S. finals in Washington, D.C. on October 17 – 18. All youth soccer clubs and school teams that meet the specified age requirements are eligible to participate in the Volkswagen Junior Masters. The winning U.S. team will then go on to compete in the Volkswagen Junior World Master Finals against 19 other teams in Cape Town, South Africa May 26 – 30, 2010.

‘Major League Soccer is proud to partner with Volkswagen on a tournament like the Junior Masters that encourages fun and competitive soccer, especially among younger players,’ said Kathy Carter, executive vice president of Soccer United Marketing, MLS’ marketing arm. ‘We look forward to the various competitions that lay ahead and to the excitement that this event will generate among soccer fans across the United States and internationally.’

‘I am delighted that Volkswagen has demonstrated such a profound commitment to developing America’s young soccer players through initiatives like the Junior Masters Tournament,’ said John Harkes, ESPN soccer analyst and former MLS star who is the official spokesperson for the Volkswagen Junior Masters in the U.S. ‘Volkswagen, through the Junior Masters Tournament, has created the opportunity of a lifetime for budding young soccer players everywhere.’

Globally, Volkswagen has been a long time supporter of soccer. The brand is the title sponsor of Volkswagen arena in Wolfsburg and owns the VFL Wolfsburg football club at its global headquarters. In the U.S., Volkswagen of America is the official automotive partner of Major League Soccer and is a sponsor of D.C. United. The brand also recently launched the Footballers’ Clubhaus presented by Volkswagen and MLS, a 19-city mobile marketing tour showcasing Volkswagen’s product family at local youth soccer tournaments.

For more information: Volkswagen Junior Masters

- Volkswagen of America, Inc.

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