Music may be the international language, but soccer (or football as it’s called outside the United States) is truly the international sport.

The International Student Council will begin its annual soccer tournament on Oct. 1, and on weekends until the University’s Halloween break.

The tournament was originally started to give international students a chance to participate in sports, according to ISC president Wan Kamal Wan Napi.

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International students only know soccer from their home countries, and they wanted to continue playing while they’re in the United States, Wan Napi said.

The tournament, which lifted off in 1985, will involve 16 teams manned by at least six players from the represented country. The 16 teams are:Africa, Malaysia (2), Thailand, Korea, Japan, Latin America, Europe, Palestine, United States (2), Saudi Arabia, Greece (2), and Turkey.

A lottery, held tonight in the Student Center’s Ballroom A at 6:30 p.m., will decide where the teams will be placed in the tournament and who they play in the opening round.

Palestine is the returning champion, but Wan Napi said every team is talented and has a chance to win.

Everyone is very, very serious, and they’ve been practicing for a month already, he said. Every year we have good teams with good players.

The tournament is open to just about anyone who wants to play, according to Wan Napi.

You must be a registered SIU student, alumni, or continual education, he said. Normally, it’s open to everyone within campus.

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There is an incentive for not only winning the tournament, but also playing fairly, Wan Napi said.

We have a trophy for the winners, and they will also be recognized at a sports dinner at the end of the semester, he said. Also, the team that doesn’t have any yellow cards against them will win $200. We did this to try and promote more sportsmanship.