Tea Cup
 Tea Cup Trophy | |
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Host country |
 Çakaristan |
| City | Agra, Keruliya, Manbai and Maulikpur |
| Dates | 10 February 2025 - 20 March 2025 |
| Teams | 7 (from 2 confederations) |
| Venue(s) | 4 (in 4 host cities) |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 25 |
The Tea Cup is an international female football competition for nations whose national drink is tea. The initiative was taken by Çakaristan and organised the tournament in cooperation with the Fédération Micraise de Football Féminin. The tournament's matches would be played in four stadiums in four different cities around Çakaristan.
As only tea nations were invited, there were five nations: Çakaristan, Constancia, Hurmu, Lac Glacei and The Hexarchy. This was supplemented by a former nation, the Jingdaoese Empire, now as Greater Kildare part of the Imperial Republic of Shireroth. As well as the unincorporated territory of Sanpantul was invited, being a former independent tea nation.
The tournament's main sponsor is the Köping Tea Company.
Organisation
Venues
The selected stadiums were also part of the bid for the 2025 FMF World Cup. The stadiums with less than 30,000 seats were immediately excluded. Through the courts, the owner of the Kadim Tarlabaşı Stadium tried to be selected after all, as the stadium is being renovated to potentially provide 32,000 seats. But the court turned it down because it was not certain how many seats would eventually be provided, the renovation was not yet finished and the selection was made based on the current available stadiums. After all, elsewhere in the country there were stadiums under construction where more than 30,000 seats might also be available.
To the dismay of Lucy Myksos, the ÇaýDome in Chaybajar, her hometown, was not selected. Cities and stadiums were chosen that were relatively near each other and could be reached by train. The Çakari National Railways is organising the ‘Cup Express’, as it was intended at the 2025 FMF World Cup.
The list of stadiums, sorted by capacity:
| Image | Stadium | Location | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
Akbar Stadium | Agra | 110,000 |
 |
Emerald Arena | Maulikpur | 60,254 |
 |
Dolphins tub | Manbai | 45,300 |
 |
Jangala Stadium | Keruliya | 40,000 |
Invited teams
The following teams were invited:
Medals and trophy
The top-three teams at the competition are presented medals while the remaining teams are presented participation banners.Along with their medals, the winning team is presented the Tea Cup Trophy, although the trophy remains in the possession of the Çakaristan Football Federation.
Sponsorship
The following companies have acted as principal sponsors:
| Logo | Sponsor | Notes |
|---|---|---|
|
Köping Tea Company | Main sponsor |
|
Çakari National Railways | Provides the ‘Cup Express’ for transport |
|
Farrah Hotels | Provides the team facilities. |
Media coverage
The tournament is covered by Dorang TV for broadcasting. For broadcasts in the invited nations, streaming will be made available through Dorang TV.
Opening
The opening ceremony was held on the evening before the tournament started. Festively, all guests were received at the Jangala Stadium in Keruliya. The entry of the Shahbanu was accompanied by huge applause. With her husband and children in the stands, she stood on stage and delivered a speech. That speech was not long, but it kicked off the opening of the Tea Cup. All the teams were presented, with each alternating a section of the stage being the most enthusiastic for their respective team.
To give the opening a Çakari-style feel, it was time for dance and music:
First round
Çakaristan vs. Constancia
The opening match of the Tea Cup between the Çakaristan and Constancia national women's teams was an enthralling and intense battle, held at the atmospheric Jangala Stadium in Keruliya. Fans of both teams filled the stands, creating an electric atmosphere.
From the first whistle, Çakaristan took the initiative. Their attack was fast and powerful, and after just 15 minutes of play, the team's star player Aylin Demir scored the opening goal with a beautiful shot from outside the 16-yard box. The Çakaristan supporters cheered exuberantly and it looked like they were heading for victory.
Constancia, however, did not get discouraged and came up with a strong response. In the 30th minute, they were awarded a free kick just outside the penalty area. The captain, Elena Rojas, took the free kick and with a beautifully placed shot, she made sure the score was levelled. Constancia fans erupted in joy.
After half-time, the pace of the match picked up. Both teams created chances, but it was Çakaristan that got the upper hand. In the 70th minute, a quick counter turned into a goal. After a clever combination, the ball reached the young talented striker, Melis Yıldız, who bypassed Constancia's defence with a clever move and scored in a controlled manner into the right corner of the goal.
Constancia still tried to come back into the match, with some dangerous attacks and a few shot chances, but Çakaristan's defence held firm. In the end, the referee whistled for the end of the match and the final score stood at 2-1 in Çakaristan's favour.
The victory opened the Tea Cup in spectacular fashion, with players and supporters sharing their joy. Çakaristan can look back on a strong performance, while Constancia will have to recover for the next matches of the tournament. It promises to be an exciting competition!
