The FIFA World Cup might have ended a year ago but lovers of the sport want more and will stop at nothing to get their fix. Enter the Budweiser Cup 2011. A 6-a-side football tournament to be held in July in Argentina, teams from 12 countries including Singapore, fighting for their bragging rights to be crowned the best team in the World.

The Bud Cup Singapore 2011 will be held in May 2011. Part of the Global Beer Champions tournament, this is part of a programme that involves 12 countries with 6 brands engaged and the tournament exemplifies the global presence and impact of AB InBev.

The registration for the local qualifying tournaments will open this week and a total of 32 teams will play a round-robin group stage, a similar format used in the World Cup and the European Champions League, before progressing onto the knockout stages at the Premiere Pitches CcD Khalsa. The eventual winning team of the Singapore National Final will qualify for the Global Beer Champions Final to be held in Argentina, during the time of the Copa America tournament. Which also means, other than being able to play in Argentina, the winning team will also have a chance to see South America's finest footballers such as Lionel Messi, Kaka and many others in the flesh.

However, this programme is not limited to those on the field but also includes those who feel that you are better off, in the stands. The Supporters Lucky Draw prize is to be given out on the finals day at Khalsa on the 4 th of June. The prize is worth about S$l0,000 and includes flights, accommodation and tickets to matches for the Copa America and the winner will get to travel with the winning Singapore team from the Budweiser Cup. To qualify, simply buy a bucket of Budweiser at participating f&b outlets, bars and clubs or purchase a 6- pack from any leading supermarket.

What's the difference between a 6-a-side tournament and the standard 11 -a-side game? The 6-a-side format in this programme uses a smaller field, which is about 32m by 45m and the tournament follows 6-a-side rules. The tournament is also only open to amateur players, 18 years old and above.

Just a short history: The Bud Cup started in 1998 and was part of Budweiser's FIFA World Cup sponsorship platform as a marketing and promotional asset for local markets. The whole idea of the International 6 v 6 tournaments is to bring consumers together to celebrate their love of beer and their passion for football. This is also evident in the number of participating brands, which has increased to 6, from 4 last year.

The tournament was developed to establish a sense of pride and camaraderie to players both young and old and is open to both male and female participants. Ultimately, the goal is not limited to activities on the pitch but also off the pitch as fringe events will ensure that everyone present is entertained.

Thus, the loving relationship between football and beer sure knows no boundaries.