The Chatham Cup knockout football competition is one of New Zealand's longest running national sports events, having been contested annually since 1923. Tradition dictates that when your club is knocked out, you follow the fortunes of your victors - and in turn their conquerors - all the way to the final.
Join us on our own Cup odyssey this year, as we report on cup fortunes in a similar vein, picking up the trail with Internationale FC - an Auckland Sunday league team with players from every continent on the globe - and following their path (or whoever beats them) through to the final on September.
Internationale FC certainly lives up to their name - and adds to the unique flavour of the Chatham Cup.
`Inter', who will face Royal Navy FC on Sunday in the first round of the national knockout competition, boast players from 11 countries around the world, including Uzbekistan, Thailand, Brazil, Kenya and South Africa. There are also representatives from North America and Europe, as well as a group of Kiwis, which means `Inter' covers every football playing region on the planet.
"It's always been a diverse team," said coach and co-founder Matthew Hunt. "I'd estimate we have had more than 40 different nationalities over the years. It makes for an interesting mix of footballing styles, but there is a common passion for the game."
