Misha Abader’s journey from Cape Town to the Gothia Youth Cup in Gothenburg, Sweden

A continent away from the familiar pitches of Cape Town, 13-year-old Misha Abarder is officially living her dream.

With the 15-hour flight behind her, the youngest player on the Camps Bay FC under-16 girls squad is settling perfectly into life at the 2026 Gothia Youth Cup in Gothenburg, Sweden. For Misha, this marks her very first time traveling abroad for an international sport.

As of Monday morning, the squad has officially shifted into tournament mode. The group stages are a quick and brutal affair, with matches scheduled for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

Misha and her teammates are getting a traditional crash course in tournament dorm life. The entire squad of 18 players is staying together alongside their coach in a close-quarters setup that serves as the perfect environment for team bonding, turning pre-tournament nerves into shared excitement. For these young athletes, any luxuries are to be earned strictly on the pitch.

Misha is taking the new environment in her stride and happily adjusting to communal living.

To acclimatise to the European summer and shake off some of the travel fatigue, the girls played a warm-up friendly on Saturday against a local Swedish team not participating in the main tournament. Misha earned a starting position at centre back and thrived in the team’s first match against international opposition.

The girls walked away with a hard-fought 2-1 victory, while their Camps Bay FC under-16 boys counterparts made it a highly successful weekend for the travelling club by beating the same opposition 4-1.

However, international tournament play quickly brought a tougher reality; as the group stages officially commenced on Monday, the girls’ squad faced a challenging 4-1 defeat in their opening match.

As Misha and her teammates dust themselves off and prepare for their crucial Tuesday and Wednesday group-stage fixtures, supporters back home in Cape Town can keep a close eye on their journey by tracking Camps Bay FC’s progress, viewing live match updates, and rallying behind Misha from afar.

Catch live match updates and track their tournament standings at the Gothia Cup 2026 – Camps Bay FC Match Results.

While Misha, a central defender, is focused purely on testing herself against international forwards, her presence on that pitch is the culmination of a massive financial effort. The gruelling fundraising drive led by her mother, Laylaa — who is currently in Sweden chaperoning the team — laid the groundwork.

The Abarder family thanks Survé Philanthropies for stepping in to help close the financial gap, with their vital sponsorship ensuring that Misha’s first international tour actually became a reality.

IOL