The 20th Aegean Cup will kick off today. Three districts of İzmir will host the tournament. Total of 14 matches will be played and U16 teams of England, Spain, Russia, Macedonia, Albania, Moldova, Turkey A and Turkey B are this year's participants for the 2019 Aegean Cup.

Twenty three different countries participated in the tournament so far. The first ever Aegean Cup was played on 1999 with only three countries. Turkey has won the most championships in the Aegean Cup with eight titles. France has won the cup for six times. Greece, Russia, and the USA crowned champions two times, and Ukraine has won the title one time.

In 1999 the tournament was played in the name of Bora Öztürk. The tournament was renamed as Aegean Cup after 2002. Ukraine and Greece took place in the tournament 15 times and they are the countries with most participation. Belgium follows them with 13 participation. The Czech Republic is the fourth country competed in the Aegean Cup with 11 participation. Scandinavian side Norway took place in the tournament eight times. Two times Aegean Cup champions Russia competed six times. Netherlands, Denmark, and the USA participated in the competition four times, Azerbaijan, Scotland three times and Slovakia, Kosovo, Montenegro competed two times. Belarus, Spain, Israel, Egypt, Switzerland, Albania, Moldova competed in the Aegean Cup one time. Debutant countries of the Aegean Cup are England and Macedonia this year.

Eight-time Aegean Cup champions Turkey played 73 matches in the tournament and won 48 of them. Seventeen games ended with a draw, and eight matches ended with a loss. Turkey scored 160 goals in these matches while conceding 59.

Well-known superstars like Paul Pogba, Anthony Martial (Manchester United), Divock Origi (Liverpool), Kurt Zouma and Lucas Digne (Everton), Alexander Lacazette (Arsenal), Mbaye Niang (Stade Rennais), Alphonse Areola (PSG), Geoffrey Kondogbia (Valencia), Samuel Umtiti (Barcelona), Thorgan Hazard (Borussia Mönchengladbach) and Pavel Kaderabek (Hoffenheim) has played in the Aegean Cup in the previous years.


Standings:

Group A	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	P	Group B	P	W	D	L	GF	GA	P
1. Albania	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1. Spain	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
2. England	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	2. Macedonia	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
3. Moldova	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3. Russia	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
4. Turkey A	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4. Turkey B	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Schedule:

Date - Time (UTC+ Turkish)	Group	Home	Score	Away	Venue
14.01.2019 - 12.00	A	Turkey A	-	Moldova	Altınordu Metin Oktay Campus No1
14.01.2019 - 12.00	B	Spain	-	Turkey B	Altınordu Metin Oktay Campus No3
14.01.2019 - 15.00	A	England	-	Albania	Altınordu Metin Oktay Campus No2
14.01.2019 - 15.00	B	Russia	-	Macedonia	Tire Stadium
15.01.2019 - 12.00	A	Turkey A	-	Albania	Altınordu Metin Oktay Campus No3
15.01.2019 - 12.00	B	Spain	-	Macedonia	Altınordu Metin Oktay Campus No1
15.01.2019 - 15.00	A	England	-	Moldova	Tire Stadium
15.01.2019 - 15.00	B	Russia	-	Turkey B	Altınordu Metin Oktay Campus No2
17.01.2019 - 12.00	A	Turkey A	-	England	Tire Stadium
17.01.2019 - 12.00	B	Spain	-	Russia	Altınordu Metin Oktay Campus No1
17.01.2019 - 15.00	A	Moldova	-	Albania	Altınordu Metin Oktay Campus No3
17.01.2019 - 15.00	B	Turkey B	-	Macedonia	Altınordu Metin Oktay Campus No2
19.01.2019 - 12.00	3. Place	Group A runner-up	-	Group B runner-up	Altınordu Metin Oktay Campus No1
19.01.2019 - 15.00	FINAL	Group A winner	-	Group B winner	Tire Stadium