The Reading Cup football tournament, which has been organized by the Greater Reading Nepalese Community Association (GRNCA) since 2006, was successfully completed this year as the 16 th Reading Cup on September 2, 2023, at Palmer Park, Reading.

This tournament started in the year 2006 under the leadership of then president Mahesh Gurung, the vision of current vice president Prem Gurung and the active leadership of the then working committee and advisors including the then outgoing presidents Arjun Basnet and C B Gurung.

The tournament has been celebrated as a glorious and important event of the Nepali society based in UK with the help of Nepalese community especially Reading residents. The opening of this year's 16th Reading Cup Football Tournament 2023 was on September 2 at 9:30 am in the presence of society president Bhimsen Khadka, past presidents Arjun Basnet, Mahesh Gurung, Krishna Neupane and Tek Gurung along with adviser Biswa Adarsh Pandit and Dhak Gurung, local government councillor Rob White.

Extensive preparations were being made to complete the Reading Cup football in a beautiful and decent manner. This year's special attractions included Nepali traditional panchebaza, BBQ and various Nepali food dishes, dance, and song, raffle, and free health check-up. Prem Gurung, who is also the Co- Ordinator of football tournament and Association’s Vice President, is also one of the founders of Reading Cup Football established in 2006.

According to him, due to the limited number of pitches, many aspiring teams could not be included this time, but only 30 football teams could be included. The cash prize for this year's top winning team was increased by £423 from last year to £2023.00 Likewise, trophies, certificates and cash prizes were also arranged for the winners and runners-up, veterans, and super veterans.

This year, 16 teams participated under Youth category with Kent FC clinching the title beating Kenny FC. 8 teams participated in Veterans category; BBC became the winner with Dharan FC finishing as runner. In the super veteran team in which six teams participated, Ilam FC became the winner and Dharan FC became the runner up. Eban Gurung won the highest goal scorer award for youth teams. Yadu Ale has been selected as the Best Player for Veterans. Kent FC's Prakash Gurung received the best manager award.

The winners and runners-up of all the group competitions were presented by the Chief Guest Nepali Ambassador for UK His Excellency Gyan Chandra Acharya, Director Mubin Ahmed of WRAP Ltd., the main sponsor, and Bhimsen Khadka, the President of the Society, along with all the past presidents of the Society, advisors, guests, and other sponsors. The winner and runner teams were awarded with certificates, trophies, and cash prizes.

To make the 16th Reading Cup a grand success, the GRNCA, other organisations such as Tamu Dhee UK, Sahara UK, Reading Tamu Samaj, Magar Samaj, Pasa Puchah Guthi, Chhetri Samaj, the entire community, business people, sports lovers and the general Nepali public in the UK played an important role.

Sandesh Sangraula