Guam Rovers U12 Boys team finished eighth in the 2026 Taiwan International Football Invitational held in Tamsui, New Taipei City, the achievement put Guam on the map as one of the Cup Division's strongest teams.
"Our boys walked into a field of academy teams from three countries and earned their place in the top bracket. That tells you everything about the work they put in and the belief their families had in them. We came to Taiwan to learn and to enjoy the game, and the boys did both while
representing Guam with class," Head Coach Jack Kido said.
The Guam Rovers U12 boy team is the first from Guam to be invited to compete in the international event which featured 20 teams.
On the field, the Rovers "group-stage play" which gauged performance earned the U12 boys team a spot in the Cup Division. The Guam Football Club recalled the key moment of the tournament highlighting Asher Cruz, the team's forward contributions to securing the win.
"The key moment came in group play, when Rovers forward Asher Cruz scored two goals against Ziqiang Elementary School of New Taipei City, one of Taiwan's strongest youth programs, to secure the win that carried Guam into the Cup bracket," the Guam Football Club said.
The Guam Rovers Football Club stressed that the division is for the "strongest teams."
"Guam Rovers advanced into the Cup Division, the top eight of the 20-team U12 field, and finished the tournament ranked eighth out of twenty in the division with an Excellence Award (優勝) recognition in the official results published by tournament organizers. This is the highest bracket a first-time international entrant could reach, and the Rovers earned it against established academy programs from Taiwan, Japan, and Hong Kong," the release said.
A total of 122 teams across 11 divisions participated in the 2026 Tawain International Football Invitational.
"More than 2,000 players, parents, referees, volunteers, and staff gathered in Tamsui over the three days. International entries came from Japan (Tokyo's MSK19 and FC TORIPLETTA, and Miyagi's GRANDESMONTANA), Hong Kong (Magical Girls), and Guam," the release said.
According to the release the Rover's plan to return to Taiwan to participate in future invitationals as well as expand Guam's presence at international youth competitions across the region.