site.btaTaraclia Hosts 30th International Christmas Mini-Football Tournament “Southern Bessarabia 2026”

Taraclia is hosting the 30th International Christmas Mini-Football Tournament titled “Southern Bessarabia 2026”, which started in late December, 2025, and will conclude on Saturday. The sporting event is dedicated to the Merited Football Coach of the Republic of Moldova, Petar Stoyanov, a native of Taraclia. The competitions are organized by the Taraclia District Council, the Sports School at the Physical Culture and Health Complex in the town, and the Taraclia Regional Football Association.

The Christmas tournament is among the traditional sporting events in the region and every year it brings together both young and experienced players. It contributes to the development of mass sport and helps uphold sporting traditions in the Taraclia District. 

This year’s competition featured eleven teams from various regions of Moldova. The semi-final matches were played on January 10 and 11. Following closely contested games, the finalists were determined: two teams from Gagauzia (Comrat District) – Kiselia Mare and Kongaz, and two teams from Taraclia – BRUKLIN and OLD BOYS.

The final match of the tournament is scheduled for January 17 and will kick off at 9:00 a.m. The teams will compete for the trophy, a travelling cup bearing the likeness of the coach.

Representatives of the Sports School told BTA that the tournament aims to encourage the development of mini-football and to pay tribute to the contribution of an outstanding sports figure. Members of the sporting community believe that Stoyanov’s contribution to the development of football cannot be overstated and that the tournament is not only a tribute to his legacy, but also a celebration for all fans of the game.

Petar Stoyanov was born on November 3, 1949, in Taraclia. From 1974 to 2013, he worked as a football coach at the Children and Youth Sports School, and in the final years of his life he also coached in the Autonomous Territorial Unit of Gagauzia. He was awarded the state honour “Om Emerit” (Merited Person). Stoyanov passed away in 2013 at the age of 63.