Getting ready for the second AC CUP
Getting ready for the second AC CUP
Athletic Club's youth football tournament is set to bring together thousands of young footballers who will showcase their talents at Lezama and San Mames from June 5-9 2024
AC CUP is back. Athletic Club's youth football tournament returns after a superb first year in which we had more than 5,000 players, 300 teams and 1,000 matches.
The second edition of the championship will take place from June 5-9 2024 with improvements and surprises for all participants: more age groups, more playing time, less travelling and four matches guaranteed. At least one fixture will take place at Lezama, with the possibility of also playing at San Mames upon reaching the final of the gold phase.
In this year's edition, AC CUP will include five age/groups for 11-a-side football (Under-15s, Under-14s, Girls Under-15s, Under-13s and Under-12s) plus four age-groups for 7-a-side football (Girls Under-13s, Under-11s, Under-10s and Girls Under-11s).
Registration for AC CUP 2024 is now open for all clubs wishing to participate in this great youth football event organised by Athletic Club. There are three registration packs with significant savings opportunities for participants looking to secure tickets:
- AC CUP player registration*: €75 (€60 for players from clubs affiliated to Athletic Club).
- AC CUP player registration* + 1 ticket (for the whole tournament, including the opening ceremony): €89 (€79 for players from clubs affiliated to Athletic Club).
- AC Cup registration* + 2 tickets (for the whole tournament, including the opening ceremony): €99 (€89 for players from clubs affiliated to Athletic Club).
*All tournament participants will receive an AC CUP souvenir package featuring a personalised cap and water bottle plus a commemorative medal at the end of the tournament.
Both AC CUP players and anyone under the age of 16 will enjoy free entry to watch the tournament. General ticket sales for the AC CUP will begin weeks before the start of the tournament at the following prices:
- AC CUP ticket (whole tournament): €25
- Day ticket: €8
- Opening day ticket: €18
The Tournament
San Mamés and the Lezama Training Centre will once again open their doors to hundreds of clubs from all over Spain and also to those foreign teams looking for a unique experience in a special setting.
Last year, Atlético Madrid, Villarreal CF, Deportivo Alavés, Real Zaragoza, Real Racing Santander and Athletic Club played on the pitch at The Cathedral.
Each participating team will play at least three matches in the group phase (four teams) and one more in the final phase, the latter divided into a gold phase (1st and 2nd placed) and a silver phase (3rd and 4th placed).
The 11-a-side matches will consist of two 25-minute halves and the 7-a-side matches will consist of two 20-minute halves. The fixtures will take place in different venues across Bizkaia, with all clubs guaranteed at least one match in Lezama and the possibility of playing at San Mamés if they manage to reach the final in the gold phase.
All the calendar, results, standings, statistics and information on the venues will be available live on the official AC CUP app.
The tournament will kick off on Wednesday 5 June for local teams, and on Friday 7 June for international teams and those from the rest of Spain. The finals and the closing ceremony will take place on Sunday 9 June.
Grand opening at San Mames
One of the most exciting moments of the AC CUP will be the tournament's grand opening at San Mames on Friday 7 June. The teams will take part in a procession around the pitch, followed by a big party with musical performances, a light show and more surprises to be announced.