The First Mayor Mauricio Domogan Football Tournament will kick off on July 2 at the Melvin Jones Football field. It is the first month long football tournament to be played on all the weekends of July in Baguio. The mayor was a dedicated supporter and fan of football especially during the reign of the city’s famed Cinderella Football Team in the 90's.

The tournament aims to attract football teams in and out of Baguio and La Trinidad for different age groups, men's teams and ladies' football teams."This month long tournament is designed to train and encourage grassroots football players from Baguio and the Cordilleras," said lawyer Alex Bangsoy, CEO of Goshen Land, the sponsor and organizer of the event.

Unknown to many, Baguio produced national-calibre football players even before the Azkals rose to fame. There were selected local boys recruited by scouts from Ateneo, La Salle and other universities in Manila to play for their respective football squads in the UAAP. Baguio's Cinderella Ladies' Football Team was of course a bright spot in the city's recent football history. Up until now, scouts still come up to Baguio to look for promising football players. Just this June, the whole high school football team that represented Baguio and the Cordilleras during this year's Palaro was taken in as full scholars at the Lyceum of the Philippines in Manila. They were trained by former Ateneo football players and now coaches Aris Bocalan and Gatan Dalang. Also, Baguio is shaping up to be a haven for international students who make the city their football home and reap honors for Baguio. Last week, three brothers from Saudi Arabia who lived and studied in the city and who used to play for the Baguio men's football team won a game against the Azkals, 4-3, in a tune-up game. They were Izo, Figgo and Buds Elhabbib. Izo, the youngest among the three delivered the winning goal against the Azkals. They now belong to the Manila based Global Football Club.

The first mayor Domogan football cup will be a rain or shine tournament. Co-organized by the Baguio United Football Club (BUFC), it will be an 11- aside game for men's teams, and 7-aside for the ladies' open and all age groups. All age groups are open for boys and girls' categories. For details on registration, schedules and tournament rules, interested teams can send inquiries thru email to baguiounited@gmail.com or call Coach Homer at 09176246637.***.