Bachar Houli Cup continues to grow in Adelaide

The Bachar Houli Cup is going from strength-to-strength in South Australia with a record number of participants joining SANFL’s highly-anticipated annual carnival in 2024.

With the introduction of a Year 9/10 competition, as many as 624 boys and girls took part in this year’s Bachar Houli Cup, culminating in the Grand Finals being played at Elizabeth’s X Convenience Oval as a curtain-raiser to Central District’s Hostplus SANFL League match against Port Adelaide.

Named after triple Richmond premiership player and devout Muslim Bachar Houli, the carnival is aimed at growing football participation for multicultural boys and girls in Years 5-10 and to highlight football pathways from Islamic schools through to SANFL and AFL.

In 2024, a record 27 girls teams and 25 boys teams kicked the Sherrin, with plans in place to introduce a Year 11/12 competition for the 2025 Bachar Houli Cup.

“It’s been great to see such a large number of boys and girls participating in the event which provides a starting point for many of them to start playing Australian football,” SANFL’s Bachar Houli Cup coordinator, Amer El Hosni, said.

“It’s all about having fun but really importantly it can connect these school students to community clubs in these SANFL club zones, giving them the confidence to potentially go onto playing competition footy.

”We are looking forward to continuing to build the Bachar Houli Cup in Adelaide next year and beyond.”

Australian Islamic College enjoyed a successful day, claiming victory in the Year 5/6 Girls, Year 7/8 Girls and Year 7/8 Boys Grand Finals.

Garden College claimed honours in the Year 5/6 Boys Grand Final.

The Bachar Houli Cup was introduced in 2021 as part of SANFL’s partnership with the Bachar Houli Foundation, starting with a total of 192 participants and 16 teams in its first year.

Students interested in taking up the game are provided with information on how to join their local community football clubs, and information is provided to parents and guardians.