Youth Cup on Top 100 Regen

Register For S2 Youth Cup

Sun, 07 Dec 2025 11:23:09 +0100

Pane (Freiburg) is very kindly organising this season’s Youth Cup.

Please register your team by completing and submitting the very simple form here.

The Youth Cup will consist of One Match Per Round Knockout System.

The matches will be played on Saturday.

The winner advances to next round.

In case of a Draw there will be a reverse fixture played on the next Wednesday.

In case of a second draw, this will be the criteria to determine the winner:

Aggregate score
Goals scored
Virtual coin toss

Draw for Knockout Stage of Youth Cup

Sun, 14 Sep 2025 15:24:58 +0100

Youth Cup Final Group Tables Analysis: When Seedings Meet Reality

Sun, 14 Sep 2025 14:55:38 +0100

The inaugural Top 100 Regen Youth Cup delivered shock results, heroic over achievements, and crushing disappointments as pre-tournament predictions crumbledNote: I’ll do a separate post for the knockout draws.

The group stage dust has settled on the Top 100 Regen gameworld’s first Youth Cup, and the results paint a fascinating picture of how pre-tournament seedings translate to actual performance. While most managers successfully navigated the challenge of arranging fixtures and fielding eligible players, some spectacular individual failures created drama alongside genuine sporting narratives.

🏆 The Magnificent Seven: Group Winners

PSG (Group F) - 21 points, +26 GD, 31 GF

Original Seed: 6th → Performance Rank: 1st
Manager: André Guerra

Absolutely sensational from Guerra’s PSG side. The Parisians didn’t just win their group—they obliterated it with 31 goals in 7 matches while conceding just 5. This represents the tournament’s finest managerial performance, turning the 6th seed into unstoppable group stage dominance.

Strasbourg (Group D) - 19 points, +13 GD, 18 GF

Original Seed: 11th → Performance Rank: 2nd
Manager: Thomas Askew

The tournament’s standout tactical achievement. Askew’s Strasbourg rose 9 positions from their seeding to deliver a masterclass in tournament management. Six wins from seven games tells the story of meticulous preparation meeting flawless execution.

Barcelona (Group A) - 18 points, +14 GD, 19 GF

Original Seed: 1st → Performance Rank: 6th
Manager: Scott Mckenzie

The pre-tournament favorites delivered exactly as expected. Mckenzie’s Barcelona did what top seeds should do—win their group with authority. Efficient rather than spectacular, but ultimately successful.

Porto (Group B) - 18 points, +16 GD, 19 GF

Original Seed: 2nd → Performance Rank: 4th
Manager: Hugo Costa

Costa’s Porto lived up to their seeding with clinical efficiency. The Portuguese giants combined defensive solidity with clinical finishing to dominate Group B exactly as their 2nd seed suggested they would.

Chelsea (Group C) - 18 points, +17 GD, 22 GF

Original Seed: 3rd → Performance Rank: 3rd
Manager: Glen Mullan

Perfect seed-to-performance correlation from Mullan’s Chelsea. The Blues delivered exactly what their 3rd seeding predicted—dominant group stage football with the second-highest goal tally among winners.

Valencia (Group G) - 17 points, +6 GD, 14 GF

Original Seed: 22nd → Performance Rank: 8th
Manager: Jay Jones

The tournament’s biggest overachievement belongs to Jones. Taking Valencia from 22nd seed to group winners represents exceptional tournament management. Their defensive approach conceded just 11 goals—proof that tactical discipline trumps star ratings.

Real Sociedad (Group E) - 16 points, +7 GD, 19 GF

Original Seed: 10th → Performance Rank: 10th
Manager: Steven Allington

Allington delivered exactly what Real Sociedad’s seeding suggested. Perfect correlation between pre-tournament expectations and group stage reality—the hallmark of consistent management.

📈 Magnificent Overachievers

Jay Jones (Valencia) - Seed 22 → Group Winner

The tournament’s ultimate managerial masterpiece. Jones transformed Valencia from Pot 3 afterthoughts into group champions through defensive excellence and tactical discipline.

Thomas Askew (Strasbourg) - Seed 11 → 2nd Overall Performance

Askew’s tactical brilliance elevated Strasbourg 9 positions above their seeding. The French side’s 19 points from 7 games represents tournament management at its finest.

yamil Mc02 (Ajax) - Seed 20 → 5th Overall Performance

The Amsterdam academy manager reminded everyone why Ajax is synonymous with youth development. Despite facing PSG’s brilliance, Mc02 delivered 18 points and automatic qualification.

Pane Trifunov (Freiburg) - Seed 14 → 11th Overall Performance

Trifunov’s attacking philosophy yielded 23 goals for—the highest tally among all qualified teams. The German efficiency machine nearly upset Barcelona for top spot in Group A.

The ⭐⭐strongest⭐⭐ (Tottenham) - Seed 29 → 9th Overall Performance

Spurs' manager finally delivered when it mattered, rising 20 positions from Pot 4 seeding to automatic qualification with 16 points—a masterclass in exceeding expectations.

📉 The Disappointing Underperformers

Paul Rimmer (Manchester City) - Seed 13 → 25th Performance

The most disappointing managerial performance of the tournament. Rimmer’s City scraped fourth place with just 10 points while watching Porto and RB Leipzig dominate Group B. A massive underachievement from the 13th seed.

James Mckenzie (Real Madrid) - Seed 5 → 17th Performance

Los Blancos' manager failed to deliver on Pot 1 expectations. Third place and 13 points from the 5th seed represents significant underperformance in Group E.

Ash L (Monaco) - Seed 8 → 22nd Performance

The principality’s manager stumbled badly, dropping 14 positions from seeding. Fourth place with 11 points was barely sufficient for qualification—a far cry from Pot 1 billing.

Salvatore Zerbo (Juventus) - Seed 9 → 30th Performance

The Old Lady’s manager endured the tournament’s biggest seeding collapse, dropping 21 positions. Just 9 points in PSG’s group was worryingly poor from such experienced management.

Tharanidharan (Roma) - Seed 37 → Qualified 32nd

While technically qualifying, Roma’s manager needed every point to scrape into the knockout stages from the final qualification spot—hardly the performance expected even from lower seeding.

❌ Group C: The “Group of Duds”

Group C became the tournament’s cautionary tale, with three managers failing spectacularly in their basic responsibilities:

The Forfeit Failures:

Mattia Bertonati (Atalanta) - 5/7 forfeits
Jamie Alldridge (Mainz) - 5/7 forfeits
Carlos Azevedo (Benfica) - 5/7 forfeits

These individual managerial failures turned Group C into a mockery, allowing Glen Mullan’s Chelsea to cruise through virtually unopposed. While most of the tournament’s 56 managers handled their responsibilities professionally, these three transformed their group into a non-competition through personal organizational failures.

The Survival Stories: Hrodulf Van (Union Saint-Gilloise) managed 3 forfeits yet still qualified for the knockouts—a testament to footballing quality overcoming administrative chaos. Valter Martins (Lens) inherited a poisoned chalice, taking over from Giuseppe Trovato (who had already forfeited 2 games) only to forfeit his first match in charge. Not the ideal start to his managerial tenure, but the Portuguese manager gets a Shield lifeline to prove himself.

🔍 The Seeding Reality Check

Perfect Predictions (Seed = Performance):

Steven Allington (Real Sociedad) - 10th seed, 10th performance
Glen Mullan (Chelsea) - 3rd seed, 3rd performance
Hugo Costa (Porto) - 2nd seed, 4th performance (close)

Biggest Positive Seeding Gaps:

Jay Jones (Valencia): +14 positions (22nd → 8th)
Thomas Askew (Strasbourg): +9 positions (11th → 2nd)
yamil Mc02 (Ajax): +15 positions (20th → 5th)
The ⭐⭐strongest⭐⭐ (Tottenham): +20 positions (29th → 9th)
André Guerra (PSG): +5 positions (6th → 1st)

Biggest Negative Seeding Gaps:

Salvatore Zerbo (Juventus): -21 positions (9th → 30th)
Ash L (Monaco): -14 positions (8th → 22nd)
Paul Rimmer (Manchester City): -12 positions (13th → 25th)
James Mckenzie (Real Madrid): -12 positions (5th → 17th)
Walter Gogh (Dortmund): Eliminated through forfeits

❌ COMPLETELY ELIMINATED

Teams with 4+ Forfeits: Atalanta (5/7 forfeits), Derby County (5/7 forfeits), Mainz (5/7 forfeits), Benfica (5/7 forfeits), Dortmund (4/7 forfeits), Milan (4/7 forfeits). Bottom Group Finishers: Lille (Group D 8th), Galatasaray (Group E 8th). Total Eliminated: 8 teams.

Seeding Order Explanation:

Primary: Points (highest first)

Secondary: Goal Difference (highest first)

Tertiary: Goals For (highest first)

Top Seeds: PSG leads with 21pts, +26GD, 31GF

Strasbourg second with 19pts, +13GD, 18GF

Chelsea third with 18pts, +17GD, 22GF

This performance-based seeding ensures the strongest group stage performers get the most favorable knockout draw positions!

YOUTH CUP KNOCKOUT ROUND OF 32 (Ordered by group performance)

PSG
Strasbourg
Chelsea
Porto
Ajax
Barcelona
RB Leipzig
Valencia
Tottenham
Real Sociedad
Freiburg
Palmeiras
Nice
Crystal Palace
Newcastle
Atletico Madrid
Real Madrid
Union Berlin
Bournemouth
Real Betis
Inter
Monaco
Lazio
Villarreal
Manchester City
FenerbahceFC
København
Racing Club
Osasuna
Juventus
Union Saint-Gilloise
Roma

YOUTH SHIELD ROUND OF 32 (Losers in Youth Cup 1st Round will drop into Shield).

Getafe
Athletic Bilbao
Arsenal
New England Revolution
Burnley
Anderlecht
Fiorentina
Bologna
Slavia Praha
Bayern Munich
Mamelodi Sundowns
Lens
Al Nassr
West Ham
Everton
Rangers

🛡️ Youth Shield Stories

The Youth Shield provides redemption opportunities, led by Никола М. (Getafe) whose 9 points and -2 goal difference represents solid tournament management from the Serbian manager.

Fredrik Johansson (Bayern Munich) finds his Bavarian giants in unfamiliar Shield territory after managing just 6 points. A humbling experience for one of European football’s most prestigious academies.

Valter Martins (Lens) faces the challenge of rebuilding after inheriting Giuseppe Trovato’s mess. Taking over a side that had already forfeited twice under the previous manager, Martins' own forfeit in his debut match wasn’t ideal. However, Lens still possesses the technical quality to challenge for Shield silverware if the new Portuguese manager can stabilize the situation.

📊 Manager Performance Rankings

Tournament Standouts:

André Guerra (PSG) - Tactical perfection
Thomas Askew (Strasbourg) - Ultimate overachiever
Jay Jones (Valencia) - Defensive masterclass
Glen Mullan (Chelsea) - Delivered on expectations
yamil Mc02 (Ajax) - Amsterdam excellence

Biggest Disappointments:

Mattia Bertonati (Atalanta) - 5 forfeits, eliminated
Jamie Alldridge (Mainz) - 5 forfeits, eliminated
Carlos Azevedo (Benfica) - 5 forfeits, eliminated
Salvatore Zerbo (Juventus) - Massive underperformance
Paul Rimmer (Manchester City) - Failed to deliver on seeding

🔮 Knockout Stage Implications

The performance-based seeding creates fascinating possibilities:

André Guerra’s PSG enters as overwhelming favorites, their 21-point group stage suggesting a different class entirely. Thomas Askew’s Strasbourg provides the most likely challenge, while traditional powerhouses managed by James Mckenzie (Real Madrid) and Paul Rimmer (Manchester City) face uphill battles from unfavorable positions.

The knockout stages beginning September 21st will determine whether group stage form translates to cup success. For managers like Jay Jones and Thomas Askew, this represents validation of exceptional tournament planning. For others like Paul Rimmer and Salvatore Zerbo, it’s a chance for redemption.

Final Verdict

The inaugural Youth Cup proved that pre-tournament seedings mean little when managers meet the reality of tournament football. While individual failures created unnecessary drama, the majority of participants delivered professional performances that created genuine sporting narratives.

André Guerra, Thomas Askew, and Jay Jones have set the managerial standard for future tournaments. Their tactical excellence and organizational competence deserve to be rewarded in the knockout stages.

For the underperformers, the lesson is clear: reputation means nothing when the fixtures begin. In the Top 100 Regen gameworld, only results matter.

Tournament Grade: A-
Exceptional individual performances with minor organizational hiccups

The Youth Cup knockout stages begin September 21st, with 32 teams ready to battle for ultimate glory

Fixture Reminder: August & September Games Not Yet Arranged

Tue, 19 Aug 2025 15:47:19 +0100

30 August

Group F

Roma 🆚 Derby County

6 September

Group A

Newcastle 🆚 Mamelodi Sundowns

Group D

Strasbourg 🆚 Fiorentina

Group F

Derby County 🆚 Athletic Bilbao

13 September

Group A

Anderlecht 🆚 Newcastle

Rangers 🆚 Mamelodi Sundowns

Milan 🆚 Barcelona

Group B

Crystal Palace 🆚 RB Leipzig

Everton 🆚 Man City

Bologna 🆚 Porto

Group C

Mainz 🆚 Osasuna

Benfica 🆚 Union Saint-Gilloise

Group D

Racing Club 🆚 Nice

Group E

Galatasaray 🆚 Al Nassr

Group F

Athletic Bilbao 🆚 Real Betis

Roma 🆚 Juventus

Derby County 🆚 PSG

Group G

Dortmund 🆚 Getafe

Fenerbahce 🆚 Monaco

Top 100 Regen S1 Youth Cup - Administrative Chaos at the Halfway Point

Mon, 18 Aug 2025 13:36:43 +0100

The Eligibility Crisis That’s Reshaping Everything

Three weeks into the group stage of the inaugural Top 100 Regen S1 Youth Cup, and what should be the tournament’s midpoint has instead become a watershed moment defined by administrative carnage. With 13 teams already suffering forfeit losses for fielding ineligible players aged over 21, and four crucial weeks still remaining, the competition has transformed from a showcase of youth football into a battle for bureaucratic survival.

The damage is mounting daily, with some teams seeing their campaigns effectively ended by age violations while others scramble to ensure compliance as the pressure intensifies.

The Forfeit Fallout (So Far)

Complete Campaign Collapses:

Derby County: All 3 matches forfeited - zero points with 4 weeks left
Atalanta: All 3 matches forfeited - mathematical elimination

Major Damage (2/3 forfeits each):

Slavia Praha: Title challenge in ruins
Benfica: Pot 6 reputation shattered
Mainz: German embarrassment continues
Lille: French failures mounting

Single Strike Victims: Manchester City, Bournemouth, Racing Club, Al Nassr, Bayern Munich, Crystal Palace, Roma

With 4 weeks remaining, every team must now fear the next round of eligibility checks.

Current Group Standings (Week 4 of 7)

GROUP A - Four-Horse Race for Automatic Spots

Pos	Team	W-D-L	Pts	GD	Remaining Fixtures
1	Tottenham	2-0-1	7	+7	4 matches left
2	Newcastle	2-0-1	7	+3	4 matches left
3	Freiburg	2-1-0	6	+7	4 matches left
4	Barcelona	2-1-0	6	+4	4 matches left
5	Anderlecht	1-2-0	3	-1	Still alive
6	Milan	1-2-0	3	-4	Difficult position
7	Mamelodi Sundowns	1-2-0	3	-4	Long shot
8	Rangers	0-3-0	0	-12	Virtually eliminated

Any of the top four could still win the group with 12 more points available.

GROUP B - Leipzig Leading, City Chasing

Pos	Team	W-D-L	Pts	GD	Remaining Fixtures
1	RB Leipzig	3-0-0	9	+8	Perfect start
2	Porto	2-1-0	6	+5	4 matches left
3	Crystal Palace	2-1-0	6	+1	4 matches left
4	Manchester City	1-1-1	4	+1	Recovery needed
5	Burnley	1-1-1	4	+1	5th place hope
6	Everton	1-2-0	3	-2	Slim chances
7	Slavia Praha	1-2-0	3	-4	Forfeit damage
8	Bologna	0-3-0	0	-10	Eliminated

Manchester City’s single forfeit has left them needing a strong finish.

GROUP C - Top Heavy with PSG and Betis Perfect

Pos	Team	W-D-L	Pts	GD	Remaining Fixtures
1	PSG	3-0-0	9	+10	Title favorites
2	Real Betis	3-0-0	9	+6	Perfect record
3	Ajax	2-1-0	6	+3	Battling for top 4
4	Juventus	2-1-0	6	+2	Qualification fight
5	Bayern Munich	1-2-0	3	-1	1 forfeit hurt
6	Athletic Bilbao	1-2-0	3	-4	Outside chance
7	Roma	0-3-0	0	-7	Forfeit victim
8	Derby County	0-3-0	0	-9	Campaign over

The group’s quality depth means even Bayern Munich face an uphill battle.

GROUP D - Palmeiras Control Their Destiny

Pos	Team	W-D-L	Pts	GD	Remaining Fixtures
1	Palmeiras	3-0-0	9	+7	Commanding lead
2	Lazio	2-1-0	6	+4	Well positioned
3	Real Sociedad	2-1-0	6	+2	Solid standing
4	Real Madrid	1-1-1	4	+1	Need improvement
5	FC København	1-1-1	4	0	5th place battle
6	Arsenal	1-1-1	4	0	Still competitive
7	Al Nassr	0-2-1	1	-7	Forfeit damage
8	Galatasaray	0-3-0	0	-7	Eliminated

Three teams locked on 4 points creates fascinating final weeks.

GROUP E - The Forfeit Chaos Group

Pos	Team	W-D-L	Pts	GD	Remaining Fixtures
1	Villarreal	2-0-1	7	+4	Leading the pack
2	Chelsea	2-1-0	6	+6	Strong position
3	Osasuna	2-1-0	6	+5	Punching above weight
4	Bournemouth	2-0-0	6	+4	Despite own forfeit
5	Union Saint-Gilloise	2-1-0	6	+3	5th place front-runner
6	Benfica	0-2-1	1	-6	2 forfeits killed hopes
7	Atalanta	0-2-0	0	-6	Complete forfeit wipeout
8	Mainz	0-3-0	0	-10	Administrative disaster

Union Saint-Gilloise’s 6 points make them prime 5th place candidates.

GROUP F - Valencia’s Perfect Administration

Pos	Team	W-D-L	Pts	GD	Remaining Fixtures
1	Valencia	3-0-0	9	+3	Clean record
2	Monaco	2-0-1	7	+4	Solid runners-up
3	Fenerbahce	2-1-0	6	+4	Qualification hunt
4	Union Berlin	2-1-0	6	+3	Staying in touch
5	Inter	1-1-1	4	0	5th place contender
6	Dortmund	1-2-0	3	-2	Need miracle
7	Getafe	0-3-0	0	-6	Eliminated
8	West Ham	0-3-0	0	-6	Eliminated

The most administratively clean group - no major forfeit scandals.

GROUP G - Revolution’s Remarkable Run

Pos	Team	W-D-L	Pts	GD	Remaining Fixtures
1	Atletico Madrid	2-0-1	7	+5	Group leaders
2	Strasbourg	2-0-1	7	+4	Matching Atletico
3	Lens	1-1-1	4	+2	Qualification battle
4	New England Revolution	1-1-1	4	0	MLS miracle continues
5	Fiorentina	1-2-0	3	0	Outside chance
6	Nice	0-0-3	3	0	Three draws
7	Lille	1-2-0	3	-5	Forfeit damaged
8	Racing Club	0-2-1	1	-6	Single forfeit costly

New England Revolution’s top-4 position defies all pre-tournament predictions.

What’s at Stake in the Final Four Weeks

Automatic Qualification Race

28 spots for group winners and runners-up plus best two 3rd/4th place teams.

Current Projection:

Certain Qualifiers: Teams with 6+ points are virtually guaranteed
Danger Zone: Teams with 3-4 points face crucial final weeks
Miracle Needed: Teams with 0-1 points are effectively eliminated

Best 5th Place Battle (4 spots available)

Current 5th Place Standings:

Union Saint-Gilloise - 6 points, +3 GD (commanding position)
Burnley - 4 points, +1 GD
FC København - 4 points, 0 GD
Arsenal - 4 points, 0 GD
Inter - 4 points, 0 GD

With 12 more points available, the 5th place race will go to the final week.

The Administrative Tightrope

Every remaining match carries double jeopardy - teams must not only perform on the pitch but ensure perfect eligibility compliance. The specter of forfeits hangs over every squad selection, with academy staff now as crucial as coaches.

The Pressure Points:

Teams currently in qualification spots know one forfeit could destroy their campaign
Struggling teams face the temptation to risk questionable eligibility decisions
The final weeks will test administrative departments as much as playing squads

What’s Coming Next

Week 5 (30 August): Crucial for teams on 3-4 points Week 6 (6 September): Qualification picture becomes clearer
Week 7 (13 September): Final group matches, 5th place playoffs decided 21 September: Knockout rounds begin

With 28 matches per team still to play across all groups, this tournament is far from over. But one thing is certain: the teams that reach the knockout rounds will be those that mastered both football and paperwork.

The administrative chaos has created opportunities for some and destroyed dreams for others. In the final month, survival depends as much on your compliance officer as your center-forward.

Crucial Week 5 Fixtures (23 August)

The Qualification Deciders

GROUP A - Everything Still to Play For

Freiburg vs Newcastle: Battle for 2nd/3rd place between two 6-point teams
Barcelona vs Mamelodi Sundowns: Must-win for Barca to avoid slipping out of top 4
Milan vs Anderlecht: Crucial 5th place battle between 3-point teams
Tottenham vs Rangers: Spurs can extend their lead against pointless Rangers

GROUP B - City’s Crunch Time

Manchester City vs RB Leipzig: City’s biggest test against the perfect Germans
Porto vs Slavia Praha: Porto can secure qualification with a victory
Everton vs Burnley: Critical 5th place battle - loser likely eliminated
Bologna vs Crystal Palace: Palace can seal qualification vs pointless Bologna

GROUP C - Top Heavy Finish

PSG vs Real Betis: Perfect records clash in group decider
Ajax vs Juventus: Two 6-point teams fighting for automatic qualification
Bayern Munich vs Athletic Bilbao: German giants need points desperately
Roma vs Derby County: Battle of the forfeit victims

GROUP D - Three-Way Title Race

Real Sociedad vs FC København: 6pts vs 4pts - qualification implications
Arsenal vs Palmeiras: Gunners face the perfect Brazilians
Real Madrid vs Al Nassr: Los Blancos must beat the forfeit-hit Saudis
Lazio vs Galatasaray: Italians vs eliminated Turks

GROUP E - Fifth Place Fight Central

Union Saint-Gilloise vs Bournemouth: 6pts vs 6pts - massive for 5th place race
Chelsea vs Osasuna: Two qualified teams with pride at stake
Villarreal vs Atalanta: Leaders vs forfeit-devastated Italians
Benfica vs Mainz: Battle of the administratively doomed

GROUP F - Valencia’s Victory Lap

Monaco vs Getafe: 7pts vs 0pts - Monaco inch toward qualification
Union Berlin vs Valencia: Can anyone stop the perfect Spaniards?
Inter vs Dortmund: Crucial 5th place battle - 4pts vs 3pts
Fenerbahce vs West Ham: Turkish side vs eliminated Hammers

GROUP G - Revolution’s Resilience Test

Atletico Madrid vs Nice: 7pts vs 3pts - Atletico closing in on qualification
Strasbourg vs Lens: Joint leaders vs qualification chasers
New England Revolution vs Lille: MLS miracle continues vs forfeit-hit French
Fiorentina vs Racing Club: 3pts vs 1pt - last chance saloon

The Big Questions

Can Barcelona Recover? The tournament’s top seeds find themselves in genuine danger of missing qualification. A loss to Mamelodi Sundowns could be catastrophic.

Will City’s Forfeits Cost Them? Manchester City’s single administrative error has left them needing results. The Leipzig test will show if they can handle pressure.

Revolution’s Reality Check: New England Revolution’s fairy tale continues, but can they maintain their stunning 4th place with three weeks of pressure ahead?

Fifth Place Mathematics: Union Saint-Gilloise’s 6 points make them favorites for a playoff spot, but with multiple teams on 4 points, the battle is wide open.

Administrative Watch

Every team selection now carries double jeopardy. With 13 teams already suffering forfeits, the pressure on compliance departments has never been higher. One wrong birth certificate check could destroy a campaign built over months.

The next four weeks will determine not just who reaches the knockouts, but who’ll be remembered for football excellence versus administrative excellence.

Four weeks down, four weeks to go. At the halfway point, survival depends equally on your striker’s finishing and your secretary’s filing.

Top 100 Regen S1 Youth Cup

Wed, 16 Jul 2025 22:41:00 +0100

Competition Format and Rules

We use the friendly fixture schedule to arrange matches. Home team managers must send friendly requests for all their home games. Away team managers must accept all friendly requests. If you sent a request and it hasn’t been accepted or you are expecting a request but you haven’t received it, the quickest way to resolve the matter is to message the other manager.

Managers who fail to arrange their games, or who fail to field eligible players (i.e., aged 21 or younger on 10 June 2025) will forfeit their match 3-0. Managers who forfeit will not be included in the end of season prize draw, and may be excluded from the knockout stages.

Group Stage

7 pots of 8 teams each
7 groups of 8 teams (one from each pot)
7 matches per team in group stage
Group games start on 2 August every Saturday using the friendly fixture schedule

Qualification to Knockout Stage

Top 4 from each group (28 teams)
4 best 5th place teams (4 teams)
Total: 32 teams advance to knockout stage
** Knockout games will be played every Saturday and Wednesday from 21 September**

Youth Shield

3 worst 5th placed teams, all 7 6th placed teams and 6 best 7th placed teams enter Youth Shield
worst 7th placed team and all last placed teams eliminated
16 teams in Youth Shield competition will be joined by 16 losers from the 1st Round of the Youth Cup knockout round

Tournament Seeding - 56 Teams

📊 Pot Strength Analysis

Pot 1: 81-84 average
Pot 2: 80-81 average
Pot 3: 78-80 average
Pot 4: 77-78 average
Pot 5: 76-77 average
Pot 6: 74-76 average
Pot 7: 70-74 average

🏅 POT 1 (Teams 1-8)

Rank	Team	Average
1	Barcelona	83.82
2	Porto	83.36
3	Chelsea	83.27
4	Nice	83.18
5	Real Madrid	82.82
6	PSG	82.64
7	Union Berlin	82.09
8	Monaco	81.45

🏅 POT 2 (Teams 9-16)

Rank	Team	Average
9	Juventus	81.36
10	Real Sociedad	81.36
11	Strasbourg	81.36
12	Union Saint-Gilloise	81.27
13	Manchester City	81.27
14	Freiburg	81.09
15	Newcastle	80.36
16	RB Leipzig	80.27

🏅 POT 3 (Teams 17-24)

Rank	Team	Average
17	Bournemouth	79.82
18	Lens	79.73
19	FC København	79.73
20	Ajax	79.45
21	Getafe	79.09
22	Valencia	78.73
23	Real Betis	78.64
24	Al Nassr	78.45

🏅 POT 4 (Teams 25-32)

Rank	Team	Average
25	Atletico Madrid	78.36
26	Osasuna	78.27
27	Slavia Praha	77.91
28	Mamelodi Sundowns	77.73
29	Tottenham	77.55
30	Crystal Palace	77.36
31	Villarreal	77.27
32	Fiorentina	77.18

🏅 POT 5 (Teams 33-40)

Rank	Team	Average
33	Palmeiras	77.00
34	Bayern Munich	76.82
35	Dortmund	76.64
36	Fenerbahce	76.55
37	Roma	76.55
38	Lazio	76.27
39	Lille	76.09
40	Benfica	76.09

🏅 POT 6 (Teams 41-48)

Rank	Team	Average
41	Everton	75.91
42	Anderlecht	75.55
43	Milan	75.09
44	Bologna	74.91
45	Atalanta	74.64
46	Racing Club	74.55
47	Arsenal	74.09
48	Derby County	74.09

🏅 POT 7 (Teams 49-56)

Rank	Team	Average
49	Inter	73.91
50	West Ham	73.91
51	Athletic Bilbao	73.64
52	**Gala
tasaray**	72.64
53	New England Revolution	71.09
54	Mainz	70.18
55	Burnley	70.00
56	Rangers	68.91

We use Challonge.com to shuffle the seeds and draw the teams into groups. You can see all fixtures for the Group Stage here.