BK Hacken, a Small Club in Sweden That Pioneered and Developed the Gothia Cup

The time showed 20:30. One by one, of the 5,119 supporters of the BK Hacken club left the stands of the Bravida Arena in Gothenburg, Sweden, on Sunday (13/7/2025).

The cheerful faces of the spectators, the majority of whom were wearing yellow and black jerseys and shirts, were evident. The victory of Hacken 4-1 over Halmstad in the 15th week of the Swedish Premier League, also known as Allsvenskan 2025, was the reason for this.

The Bravida Arena's capacity is very limited, with only around 6,300 seats. This is just enough to accommodate the supporters of the team nicknamed "The Wasps" at every home game. This season, Hacken's home games have averaged 5,312 fans.

Marcus, a loyal Hacken supporter, admits his team is not as big as city rivals IFK Goteborg, who have won 18 Swedish League titles, or another Gothenburg team, GAIS (Goteborg Atlet-och Idrottssallskap), with four league titles.

Nevertheless, Hacken is a testament to Marcus and thousands of other Hacken supporters who cherish the surrounding environmental community. This is what makes them more connected to Hacken compared to other teams.

"I feel very close to Hacken. My family has supported the club for generations. It is part of my identity as a resident of Gothenburg," he said while watching the match from the southern side of the Arena Bravida stands during the game.

The capacity of the stadium illustrates how "mini" Hacken is compared to the three other clubs from Gothenburg. The other two teams, namely IFK Goteborg and GAIS, utilize the Gamla Ulevi Stadium, which has a capacity of 18,454 seats, as their home for home games.

Goteborg, for instance, recorded an average of 16,778 supporters per home game this season. Meanwhile, GAIS's home matches were attended by an average of 12,635 spectators.

In terms of supporter scale and achievements, Hacken is outperformed by two other Gothenburg teams in the Allsvenskan. Additionally, another legendary team from Gothenburg, Orgryte IS, currently competes in Superettan, the second tier of competition. They have won the Swedish championship 12 times.

However, Hacken's contribution to football in Sweden, and even the world, cannot be matched by the other three teams in Gothenburg or any professional clubs in Sweden.

This is because Si Tawon is the organizer of the Gothia Cup. The tournament is for young football players aged 12 to 17 years. Since its inception in 1975, the Gothia Cup is now referred to as the largest youth football tournament in the world.

Through the Gothia Cup, Hacken has made a significant contribution to the image of Swedish football and Gothenburg. Not to be overlooked, they have also contributed to the city's treasury through tourism thanks to the Gothia Cup held every July.

Fifty years ago, Hacken initiated a youth football tournament in collaboration with GAIS. The partnership between the two clubs launched the Gothia Cup with the aim of establishing a youth tournament for profit.

"(The goal) was successful, but it wasn't enough to generate stable financial returns. Within five years, the two clubs parted ways," said Dennis Andersson, co-founder and Secretary General of the Gothia Cup, in a special interview with Kompas on Wednesday (July 16, 2025) in Gothenburg, Sweden.

When GAIS withdrew from organizing the Gothia Cup in 1980, Andersson sought to convince BK Hacken to continue preserving the Gothia Cup. As a result, BK Hacken has been the sole organizer of the world's best youth football tournament since the 1981 edition.

"I explained to the President of BK Hacken at that time (Ake Nilsson) the mission to create a meeting place for young people from various cultures, backgrounds, skin colors, and so on on a piece of paper. Everyone is welcomed in a place where differences unite rather than divide," said Andersson.

"I also said that I do not believe that this tournament can generate a lot of money. We are doing this for a purpose and a mission, not for profit. The BK Hacken club accepted the idea," he added.

The Gothia Cup records an increase in participants every year. The peak was reached in the 2025 edition, which saw the highest number of teams, totaling 1,939 teams from 74 countries. In total, more than one million young players have experienced the competitive atmosphere of the Gothia Cup.

When the noble goals of organizing the Gothia Cup were realized, BK Hacken also experienced positive impacts. Established in 1940, BK Hacken had yet to achieve any major title in Sweden during the 20th century. That fate changed after the turn of the millennium.

Starting with a second-place finish in the Swedish League in the 2012 season, Si Tawon managed to secure four Swedish Cup trophies between 2016 and 2025. Not only that, BK Hacken finally broke their drought for achievements in the Swedish League. They won the Swedish League trophy in the 2022 edition.

Andersson stated that the consistent organization of the Gothia Cup since 1981 has led clubs to change their thinking paradigm regarding the vision and mission of the club. The formation of the squad is no longer limited to players from Sweden. The squad consists of players from several countries.

"For years, the Gothia Cup has been an agenda that facilitates international contacts and networks. This situation provides a significant advantage for BK Hacken in recruiting foreign players. We also know how to nurture foreign players with the knowledge gained from the Gothia Cup, allowing us to better understand different cultures and their ways of thinking," he stated.

"We have a more global perspective compared to other clubs. This view is influenced by the Gothia Cup. That is why the Gothia Cup is very important for BK Hacken," said Andersson.

In its club journey, BK Hacken has also participated in European club competitions from 2007 to 2009. The Hornets have competed in Europe for 10 seasons, achieving their best performance by advancing to the group stage of the Europa League for the 2023-2024 edition.

Although hosting the Gothia Cup, BK Hacken does not forget its obligation to have an academy to produce future players. They are also capable of producing players who at least perform with BK Hacken at the senior level.

Andersson revealed that the operational implementation of the club and the Gothia Cup is proceeding on different tracks. The club management, he continued, is focused on the development of the club's professional aspects. Meanwhile, the Gothia Cup is run by an independent company established to organize the youth competition.

"Although BK Hacken holds the title of Gothia Cup champion, we (the Gothia Cup) operate independently. The operations of BK Hacken focus on the establishment of an elite football club aimed at building a professional team and developing football at the grassroots level," Andersson continued.

BK Hacken demonstrates that a club's contribution should not merely be about pursuing outstanding achievements and seeking financial gain. Far from that, the Bees contribute to the Gothia Cup, which benefits both the local and global communities that always hold football in their deepest hearts.