SCI Football Festivals

From stunning UK seaside resorts to incredible venues, the 2026 SCI Football Festivals promise an experience like no other for boys’ and girls’ teams aged Under-7 to Under-15.

2026 SCI Football Tournament Information

How A Typical SCI Football Festival Works

DAY 1 – DAY OF ARRIVAL

Arrive at your chosen resort anytime from 12.30pm onwards. Check in for accommodation generally starts at 4pm, where SCI Staff will be in attendance. The rest of the day is yours to enjoy the various facilities & entertainment at your leisure. There will be a team managers’ meeting at most festivals on the day of arrival – the time of this will be advised prior to the festival. In some cases, with modern day technology, we may decide not to have a team managers’ meeting at a resort and full details will be issued to team leaders at least 7 days prior to the event.

DAY 2 – THE FOOTBALL TOURNAMENT BEGINS

The football festival will begin on Saturday where each team will generally play either a morning or afternoon session of football. All 7-a-side teams can expect to play between 3 to 6 matches on Saturday, all 9-a-side teams can expect to play between 3 to 5 matches on Saturday, & all 11-a-side teams can expect to play between 2 to 5 matches on Saturday.

The length of all matches will depend on the final format of the festival. SCI will group each teams matches as close together as possible so that you are not at the football ground all day. This will enable all members of your party to enjoy the extensive facilities at your chosen holiday resort.

DAY 3 – THE TOURNAMENT CONTINUES

The tournament continues with all age groups being played to completion. All teams will play between 2 to 5 games on Sunday depending on the final format of the festival. This will be supplied to you around 7 days prior to the event. Once the football is complete, all teams will then be invited to attend the SCI Celebrity Presentation Evening, where all teams go up on stage & receive an individual competitors Medal from a famous footballing personality. Of course there are individual Winners & Runners-Up trophies for teams that have finished 1st & 2nd in all age groups, plus the SCI Fair Play Award Trophy for the most sporting team, as well as the SCI Mitre Ultimatch Cup which will be presented to the winning team in each age group. 

PLEASE NOTE: In accordance with the Laws of the game from the FAW (Football Association of Wales) the U8 – U11 age groups at SCI 2026 in Prestatyn/Rhyl will be non-competitive and results will not be recorded. All players will receive a quality participation trophy instead of a medal to celebrate taking part in the festival at the SCI Celebrity Presentation on Sunday evening at Lyons, Robin Hood Holiday Park.

DAY 4 – DAY OF DEPARTURE

No football is played on the day of departure, & all accommodation must be vacated by 10am.*The above details are only a guideline as to how the festivals operate & may be subject to change

SCI Youth Football Festivals – Your Questions Answered

TEAM QUALIFICATION

SCI Youth Football Festivals are officially sanctioned by The Football Association, The Scottish Youth Football Association and The Football Association of Wales. In order to participate, teams must be affiliated to a County or Schools Football Association.
 

SCI Football Festivals is for grassroots teams of all abilities. All teams must be affiliated to a County, Area or School Football Association. 

In accordance with FA rules, boys who are currently registered with an FA Premier League or Football League Academy are not permitted to take part in SCI Youth Football Festivals 2026.

Any team participating in a festival outside their own country must obtain permission from their Home National Association to participate. For example, this includes teams from Scotland, Northern Ireland & Ireland playing in festivals in England & Wales and teams from Wales playing in festivals in England.

Guest Players – Teams can bring Guest Players not signed to there team, however these must not be Academy Players signed to a FA Premier League or Football League Academy.

All accommodation units are to have at least 1 adult in them and there is to be a minimum ratio of 1 adult to every 3 children in all groups.

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