Help Achieve Maria's Journey to the 2026 Gothia Cup
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My name is Maria Constance C. Cevasco and I'm 15 years old. My goal is to raise enough money to be able to attend my travel soccer club trip to play in the 2026 Gothia Cup with my travel team next summer. I have been playing soccer since I was 5 years old and my passion for this sport is very much still alive. I played recreational soccer through Spotsylvania County from 5-10 years old. My parents could see competition got too easy and was no longer challenging me. Therefore, they put me in one of my local travel soccer clubs, FSCI (Phoenix). I played on this team from age 11-15 years old. I loved my teammates, coach, sport, the competition, everything. However, this travel club was extremely small and didn't have a lot of opportunities to be seen by scouts. My parents fixed this problem by signing me up for my now current travel team's soccer club's tryout. I made the team and got pushed up to an older age group (Girls 2009 EDP Soccer). This club comes with way more opportunities, this being one of them, but we need to be able to have the money to take advantage of the situation, when we don't unfortunately. I do not like asking for help, but I truly need everyone's help in this. Any amount of money can and will most definitely help.
To explain, this trip will contain a pre-tournament tour in Madrid, Spain, followed by participation in the Gothia Cup 2026 in Gothenburg, Sweden, in July 2026. This trip would be 11 nights/9 days throughout July 10-July 20.
My parents work extremely hard to come up with enough money for these trips, although this is an EXTREMELY expensive trip. I have tried to convince them to let the issue be, and to accept that we cannot attend simply due to the reason that we don't have the money. Although, they are very dedicated to me going because it is a "once-in-a-lifetime chance".
Now I know you're thinking, "What is my money paying for?", and, "How much money do you need?". I need exactly $3,820 to pay for this trip. I know this is a lot of money, and it's a lot to ask for, but if everyone helps out, even just a tiny bit, I can guarantee it will have a huge impact. Your money would be used for the following:
- Airfare: Round trip airfare, including taxes, fuel surcharges, and fees.
- Trip Leader Services: Full-time Trip Leaders assigned to my group for the duration of the trip and available to answer questions, handle emergencies, etc.
- Guided Tours/Activities: All guided tours/activities (including entrance fees) to cultural/historic sites, museums, and other points of interest as listed are included throughout the tour.
- Ground Transportation: All ground transportation costs upon arrival (including fuel surcharges, tolls, and parking).
- Accommodations: Accommodation each night at 3-star equivalent properties in double or triple occupancy. *Gothia Cup provides accommodations during the tournament. (Although I need your money to pay Gothia Cup)*
- Two Meals a Day: Breakfast at hotel each day, and either a lunch or dinner each day are included. *Meals provided during the Gothia Cup may vary.*
- Sports Expenses: All sport-related expenses (sport facilities, referees, and other associated costs), which includes registration fee for the 2025 Gothia Cup.
Your money will NOT be paying for: gratuity, incidentals, other meals (that aren't provided by Gothia Cup), and travel insurance. Below I will define what I mean by all of these:
- Gratuity: Tips for bus drivers and/or local guides.
- Incidentals: All incidentals including, but not limited to, phone calls, laundry, shopping, and additional sightseeing not on the itinerary.
- Other meals: One meal per day is not included to provide the opportunity to explore and select your own local food.
- Travel insurance: Travel insurance is a type of insurance designed to protect travelers from unexpected financial losses and disruptions during trips, both domestically and internationally. It can cover a wide range of issues, including trip cancellations, medical emergencies, lost luggage, and more.
What The Gothia Cup Actually Is:
Now, please allow me to explain what makes the Gothia Cup so special, and why I am desperate to ask for help for money to be able to attend for my team and play alongside them. The Gothia Cup is the world's largest international youth soccer tournament, held annually in Gothenburg, Sweden. It's a massive event, attracting over 1,700 teams from more than 70 countries. The tournament is known as the "Youth World Cup" due to its international scope and scale. Gothia Cup was first held in 1975. The tournament was started by the football clubs BK Häcken and GAIS and a local newspaper, since the early 80’s the tournament is owned entirely and solely by BK Häcken. The organization consists of eight full-time employed staff and during the tournament more than 2500 people work. Throughout the years, over 1.3 million players from a total of 151 countries have participated in the tournament. I myself strive to be able to become one of those players.
My Travel Soccer Club Information:
- Club Name: Fredericksburg Football Club (FFC)
- Club Page Link: https://www.fredericksburgfc.org
Organiser
Maria Cevasco
Organiser
Fredericksburg, VA