Melbourne Chinese Soccer Association holding their own


As Melbourne prides itself on being a multicultural city, little did we know that the arrival of the Chinese contingent in 1850 would lead to them having such a cultural significance on Melbourne.

Football is truly the world game, and the Melbourne Chinese Soccer Association (MCSA) is reflective of this.

The MCSA was established in 1995 in order to provide opportunities for young people of Chinese heritage, although not exclusively for Asian footballers.

Each season, the MCSA holds the Victorian Golden Soccer League (VGSL) as well as the Yamagata Cup, a knockout competition held at the end of every season.

With Melbourne having a strong and vibrant Chinese community, the league has proven to be a success in the sixteen years in which it has been operating.

The VGSL continues to grow as a not-for-profit sporting organisation, which sees former Melbourne Lord Mayor John So and former Senator Tsebin Tchen named as honorary members of the Chinese Youth Society of Melbourne which hosts the MCSA.

The VGSL has grown from having nine teams, to 24 teams currently competing over three divisions, being run as a round-robin competition, commencing in April each year.

Approximately 500 players are now registered with the MCSA, along with 20 referees and assistant referees.

Division 1 Melbourne Soccer Dudes Team Manager Jason Tam expressed the importance of the MCSA in assimilating people into society.

"The league allows for people who are new to the country and speak little English to be eased into an English speaking environment." he said.

Players in the MCSA cover a large range of countries of origin, such as Afghanistan, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea and Malaysia.

MCSA aim to provide the opportunity for local young people to join a multicultural and harmonious sporting organisation where they can play football.

Approximately 300 matches are held each season, ranging from being played on Saturdays and Sundays across metropolitan Melbourne.

Click here for more information about the MCSA

By John Milone


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