VIENTIANE, July 10 (Xinhua) -- The Lao Football Federation (LFF) plans to hold the President's Cup in capital Vientiane in September to support the development of the women's game from U-16 to senior level.
The tournament will be attended by women's football teams from schools, universities and other institutions, the Vientiane Times reported on Wednesday.
The LFF is said to be to testing players' skill levels during the tournament, while also using it as a chance to gauge the most talented up-and-coming women footballers for possible national team duties in 2020.
Currently, the LFF is searching for a major sponsor to assist women's football in general and lend their support to the event with cash prizes for the top sides, said the report.
The Federation is hoping to attract 16 senior and 16 U-16 women's teams to the President's Cup, and is also looking for provincial teams to attend.
The event will serve as preparation for Laos' 11th National Games in Xieng Khuang Province in 2020, which will feature men's and women's football events.
Lao women's teams have recorded improved performances in recent years, with national girls' U-15 side finishing in second place at the 2019 ASEAN Football Federation Championship (AFF Championship) in Thailand in May.
Laos hosted the AFF Championship in 2017, but the U-15 team failed to get through the qualifying stages. In 2018, the tournament was held in Indonesia, where Laos placed fourth.
