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Organisers are calling on teams to arrive promptly at the venue – the Park Campus of the University of Northampton at 10am, with kick-off in the first group stage games at 10.30am.
The one-day tournament – sponsored this year by Waste Recycling Group and REgenerist – will involve 30 six-aside teams. This will mean as many as 300 footballers taking part of both genders, all of whom are key members of the UK's drive towards sustainable waste management.
Organisations including Defra, ESA, Recycling Action Yorkshire, Valpak and Premiership sponsors Barclays Bank – who won last year's Cup – are all taking part.
And, waste management and recycling firms including Biffa, Cleanaway, Grundon, Severnside, SITA UK and Abitibi-Consolidated Recycling Europe will also be challenging for the Cup.
In late team news, waste firm Shanks has been forced to pull out of the tournament, and has been replaced by a team representing the Chartered Institution of Wastes Management.
| Waste World Cup weather |
Forecast
With a favourable weather forecast for the day, footballers are advised to bring sun cream.
Dr Margaret Bates of the University of Northampton, who is chair of the tournament Organising Committee, said: “Teams will be spending a lot of time in the open air, so particular those players who are sensitive to the sun, please do remember to bring your sun block.”
Regarding travel to the event, a strike by South West Trains has been called off (see BBC News story) and no other problems are anticipated at this point.
Teams are also reminded not to wear any form of stud on their footwear. Footballers must wear ordinary trainers, meaning no astro-boots or football boots, no studs or moulded studs of any kind.
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Cash
This year's tournament will see individual footballers in with a chance to scoop a cash prize, with the first Waste World Cup Cross-Bar Challenge. Taking place at lunch time, after the group stage games are complete, footballers will be invited to line up and attempt to kick a football from long distance and hit the cross-bar of the goalposts.
A prize will be awarded to the player or players that manage to hit the cross-bar – courtesy of sponsor REgenerist.
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