As La Liga club Sevilla and Argentina's leading youth academy Club Jorge Griffa completed the Premier line up for the international youth football competition, the Blues boss said: "This is a remarkable event."

Grant, fresh from talks with Porto for the £16.2m transfer of right-back Jose Bosingwa, was at Belfast's W5 complex to make the draw for the Premier and Junior tournaments, less than 48 hours after his side had failed to halt Manchester United lifting a tenth Premier League title under manager Sir Alex Ferguson.

However, despite that disappointment and injury concerns over skipper John Terry and striker Didier Drogba ahead of next week's Champions League final against United in Moscow, Grant kept his promise to visit Belfast as the Milk Cup gears up for its 26th tournament.

Grant said: "When you see the calibre of the clubs who are sending teams to compete, it is obvious why the Milk Cup has become one of the best youth tournaments anywhere in the world.

"I honestly was not aware that it was such a huge event but I realise now how important it is for Chelsea to be involved."

"You should be extremely proud of hosting such a prestigious competition in Northern Ireland."

Club Jorge Griffa's decision to sign up is a huge shot in the arm for organisers. Secretary Jim Weir said: "We have been successful in bringing South American sides for some time now, at both national and club level but securing arguably Argentina's best known academy is a bit of a coup.

"Jorge Griffa is a retired Argentine footballer who played most of his career in Spain with Atlético Madrid, but after retiring, he decided to go back home to the Newell's Old Boys and began coaching its youth teams.

"In his time he has been the guiding influence on players who have gone on to become some of the best known in world football including former Manchester United defender Gabriel Heinze, Walter Samuel, and Lionel Messi."

He also coached at Boca Juniors where he brought Manchester United's Carlos Tevez through the ranks."

Welcoming news of Sevilla's participation, Milk Cup chairman Victor Leonard said: "This is another major success for us. We were delighted to land Barcelona in the past and they went on to win the Premier title in 2005, beating Chelsea in the final. Previously we have also hosted Atletico Madrid.

"We are indebted to Avram Grant for being so generous with his time. It says a lot about the man that he is willing to spend time with us in Northern Ireland even though he has another pressing engagement.

"Chelsea's association with the Milk Cup is now well established and this is their fourth year. Their teams have entertained us in the past and we look forward to welcoming their Junior representatives in July."

Event sponsors, the Dairy Council for Northern Ireland, are marking a special anniversary this year. Chairman David Ross said: "This is our 25th year supporting the Milk Cup and that makes our relationship with it one of the longest running sponsorships in Northern Ireland and probably these islands.

"The Milk Cup has risen to become one of the best tournaments in youth soccer. Its worldwide reputation of the competition is a tribute to the sterling work which organisers have put into it and the Dairy Council is proud to have been involved in making this happen. We look forward to another successful year."

In the Junior draw along with Grant's Chelsea and two Israeli club sides he formerly managed, Maccabi Tel-Aviv and Maccabi Haifa were Brondby, Rosenborg, AIK (Sweden), Aspire from Qatar, Everton, holders Guadalajara and Necaxa.

Former winners Swindon Town were joined by Wolves, Plymouth Argyle, Watford and Queen of the South, alongside the six County teams plus Dublin's beaten 2006 finalists Crumlin United, Donegal Schools and Dundalk Schoolboys.

The Premier line up boasts Manchester United, Boavista, Borussia Dortmund, champions Fluminense from Brazil, Hertha Berlin, Cruz Azul of Mexico, New Zealanders Otago and Central United (Auckland), South Coast Bayern (USA), Watford, Sheffield United, Ipswich Town, Hartlepool, Hearts in addition to the Northern Ireland sides, Cherry Orchard, Shamrock Rovers and Drogheda United.

Joining defending champions Israel in the Elite tournament are debutants Belgium, plus Chile, USA, Wales and Northern Ireland.

2008 draw


JUNIOR

Monday, July 28 – Plymouth Argyle v Queen of the South; Chelsea v Brondby; Watford v Rosenborg; Dundalk Schoolboys v Maccabi Tel Aviv; Crumlin Utd v Maccabi Haifa; Donegal Schools v Aspire; Co. Londonderry v Wolves; Co. Antrim v Everton; Co. Tyrone v Swindon Town; Necaxa v Co. Down; Guadalajara v Co. Armagh; Club Jorge Griffa v Co Fermanagh.

Tuesday, July 29 – Donegal Schools v Rosenborg; Crumlin Utd v Brondby; Dundalk Schoolboys v Queen of the South; Necaxa v Swindon Town; Guadalajara v Everton; Club Jorge Griffa v Wolves; Co. Tyrone v Maccabi Tel-Aviv; Co. Londonderry v Aspire; Co. Antrim v Maccabi Haifa; Watford v Co. Fermanagh; Plymouth Argyle v Co. Down; Chelsea v Co. Armagh.

PREMIER

Monday, July 28 – Sheffield Utd v Cruz Azul; Manchester Utd v Otago; Watford v Central Auckland; Cherry Orchard v Seville; Drogheda Utd v Borussia Dortmund; Shamrock Rovers v Hertha Berlin; Co. Down v Ipswich Town; Co Tyrone v Hearts; Co. Londonderry v Hartlepool Town; South Coast Bayern v Co. Fermanagh; Fluminense v Co. Armagh; Boavista v Co. Antrim.

Tuesday, July 29 – Cruz Azul v Shamrock Rovers; Central Auckland Drogheda Utd; Otago v Cherry Orchard; Ipswich Town v South Coast Bayern; Hartlepool Town v Fluminense; Hearts v Boavista; Seville v Co. Down; Borussia Dortmund v Co. Tyrone; Hertha Berlin v Co. Londonderry; Co. Fermanagh v Sheffield Utd; Co. Antrim v Watford; Co. Armagh v Manchester Utd.

ELITE

Monday, July 28 – 7pm, Northern Ireland v USA (Coleraine Showgrounds); 8pm, Belgium v Israel (Riada Stadium, Ballymoney); 8pm, Wales v Chile (Ballymena Showgrounds.

Wednesday, July 30 – 7pm, Israel v Chile (Coleraine Showgrounds); 8pm, USA v Wales (Riada Stadium, Ballymoney); 8pm, Northern Ireland v Belgium (Ballymena Showgrounds).