The World Cup gives an encore presentation as international and American college students come together this Saturday for the first tri-soccer tournament.

Organized by international centers from three different colleges in the area, the tournament will feature teams going head-to-head. Players include students from Washington State University, the University of Idaho and Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho.

The winning team of the tournament will have its name engraved on a trophy that will go to the international center of the winner’s school. The trophy will stay there until next year’s tournament.

“It’s a fun opportunity for the international community to mix from these three different schools,” International Center coordinator Kate Hellmann said.

Hellmann said sports are one of those pastimes that can translate across cultures, and for almost every culture soccer seems to be the universal theme.

“I don’t want to say it’s a battle of the schools,” said Tammi Johnson, director of International Student, Scholar, & Faculty Services at UI. “(We’re) bringing out schools together.”

While Hellmann had experience with high school junior varsity and varsity soccer, Johnson said she learned through trial and error. She said she had to give credit to Butch Sealy, associate director of competitive and recreational sports at UI, who helped provide resources to set up these kinds of tournaments.

Hellmann said students have asked for such an event, and in the past the International Center has tried ping pong tournaments and cricket. The goal of these events, Hellmann said, is to find something that everyone can enjoy and participate in.

“It’s a good bonding opportunity,” WSU alumnus Muhammad Barik said. “We don’t get to play with teams from other universities that much.”

Barik and international doctorate mechanical engineering student S.M. Mortuza, both from Bangladesh, participate in intramural soccer at WSU. They heard about the tournament through numerous flyers set up to advertise the game.

“Back in our country, soccer is popular game,” Mortuza said. “All of us had that experience.”

Mortuza said their team is made up mostly of players from Bangladesh, but also has students from India, Turkey and Iran. The multicultural team will  play in another soccer tournament next week.

“We never get to see the actual World Cup,” Barik said. “(Now we’re) having people from different nations.”

Hellmann said the student response has been very excited, and she is looking forward to seeing the relationships that develop between the students. A great way to have international experience is to interact with someone different.

“I’ve seen a lot of students come and go. One thing for certain is the students love international fùtbol,” Johnson said.

Signups for the tournament close at the end of the week. Participants can sign up as individuals or a whole team. Visit the WSU International Center, CUB L46, for more information.

The tournament will start at 9 a.m. Saturday at UI’s Kibbie Dome in Moscow. The event is free to WSU students.