Greece, Croatia, Bulgaria, and South Africa will compete in the 2nd SOCCA Aegean Cup, taking place on October 21 and 22, 2025, at the Sochora stadium in Rethymno. The tournament follows right after the TUI SOCCA Champions League.

The four teams’ participation was confirmed yesterday. Greece and Croatia return after competing in last year’s tournament, which served as a key prep event for the SOCCA World Cup in Oman.

Croatia won gold in the previous SOCCA Aegean Cup, beating Poland 3-1 in the final, while the Greek team secured third place with a 2-0 win over Italy.

In 2024, Greece claimed two victories — 4-1 over Croatia and 2-0 against Italy — while also recording two losses: 2-0 to Italy and 4-3 to Poland.

This year’s SOCCA Aegean Cup is once again part of the build-up for the TUI Socca World Cup, set to take place in Cancun, Mexico, from November 28 to December 7, 2025.

Alongside the men's tournament, a women’s tournament will also be held in Rethymno on October 21 and 22. Teams from Greece, Spain, Poland, and either Belgium or Oman will take part.

Rethymno will be buzzing for a whole week with the dazzling mini football festival, kicking off on October 16 with the TUI Socca Champions League.

This flagship club-level tournament will welcome around 100 teams from 40 countries across five continents. The final lineup will be confirmed by the end of September, just before the group draw.

There will be 25 groups, each made up of four teams, and the competition will feature a new, more exciting format with three distinct "paths" to progress.

Once the group stage is over, the tournament will shift into knockout rounds, all the way to the final.

Among the star teams set to appear at the 2025 TUI SOCCA Champions League are Brazil’s Vasco da Gama and Sport Recife.

Also returning is Victory Vrsar from Croatia, looking to defend their title for a third consecutive year, after winning in Maribor (2023) and Rethymno (2024).

The action won’t just be limited to the pitch. Outside the stadium, Sochora Square will host a buzzing "Sponsor Village" — a must-visit spot for fans and visitors.

In this Fan Zone, there will be air pitches, giving spectators and passers-by the chance to test their football skills.

Both tournaments are organized by the International SOCCA Federation, with the official support of the Ministry of Tourism, Greek National Tourism Organisation, Region of Crete, Regional Unit of Rethymno, Municipality of Rethymno, and the EPS Salas, member of the Hellenic Football Federation.