Young people representing Cardiff City FC will take part in the Under-16 mixed and Under-16 girls’ Premier League Kicks Cup regional tournaments, in a bid to secure their place at the 2026 finals.

Nine regional tournaments are being staged at community facilities across the country, with hundreds of young people representing Premier League, EFL and National League clubs hoping to win the opportunity to represent their club in the Premier League Kicks Cup 2026 finals at St George’s Park in July.

The Premier League Kicks Cup tournament is one of the competition elements of Premier League Kicks, the Premier League’s longest running community programme that celebrated its 20^th anniversary in March, as part of the Premier League’s More Than a Game campaign.

Premier League Kicks sees 93 Premier League, EFL and National League clubs, including Cardiff City FC Community Foundation delivering free weekly football and personal-development sessions in communities across England and Wales.

Since the launch of the programme, which uses the power of football to inspire young people to reach their potential, more than 600,000 young people have participated at over 5,000 venues. Sessions take place in some of the most under-served communities, supporting those who need it most.

Premier League Foundation Chief Executive Alex White said:

“Premier League Kicks regional tournaments create opportunities for thousands of young people to come together and represent their clubs on the pitch in a fun, competitive environment. While we know that many young people come to weekly Premier League Kicks sessions for the football skills, the off-pitch activities available at those and at tournaments help to empower young people to build important life-skills, discover their potential and build brighter futures beyond the game.”

Cardiff City FC Community Foundation will join Under-16 mixed and Under-16 girls’ teams at the Southwest/Wales] Premier League Kicks Cup regional qualifier hosted by Swindon Town FC Community Foundation.

Everton and Crewe Alexandra are the current Premier League Kicks Cup champions, having won the Under-16 mixed and Under-16 girls’ tournaments respectively in 2025.

Alongside the tournament, participants in the regional qualifiers will have access to a series of off-pitch workshops designed to encourage participants to talk about mental health and wellbeing, inclusion and community safety.

Jamie Thomas, Youth Outreach Coordinator at Cardiff City FC Community Foundation, reflected:

“The Kicks Cup is always a highlight in our calendar – it’s a chance for young people from our Premier League Kicks sessions to get out there, meet new people, and be part of something bigger than just football.