Practical guide to Costa Blanca Cup 2026
The international youth football and futsal tournament remains firmly rooted in its core pillars: sport, international diversity, participant experience, and the promotion of sports tourism. Matches can be followed free of charge in person, while all tournament information is also available through the official TOURSPORT APP
Organised by Tour-Sport Promociones Deportivas, the Costa Blanca Cup is recognised as one of Spain’s leading youth football and futsal tournaments. Year after year, the event strengthens its foundations through key pillars such as sporting competition, international diversity with players arriving from all five continents, the experiences and friendships created through football, and the promotion of sports tourism in the Marina Baixa and Marina Alta regions of Alicante Province, where the matches take place.
This practical guide presents ten key points to help you get to know the tournament.
- Tournament History: When was it founded? How many editions have been held?
Tour-Sport Promociones Deportivas launched the Costa Blanca Cup in 1994. From its beginnings through to 2026 inclusive, the tournament has completed 32 editions of football and 21 editions of futsal.
- When will the Costa Blanca Cup take place?
The futsal tournament will be held from 1 to 5 July, while the football competition will run from 5 to 11 July.
- The venues: Where is the tournament played?
The action will take place across various football facilities (14 full-size pitches and 7 eight-a-side pitches) and futsal venues (10 courts) throughout the Marina Baixa and Marina Alta regions of Alicante Province. The support and collaboration of towns and local councils such as Benidorm, Villajoyosa, Altea, Alfàs del Pi, La Nucía, Finestrat and Calpe are key to the event’s success.
- How many teams will take part in each competition?
The 2026 edition will feature a total of 319 teams. Of these, 113 teams will compete in the futsal tournament (57 international and 56 Spanish teams), while 206 teams will participate in the football tournament (117 international teams and 89 from across Spain).
- A record-breaking international edition: Where do the participants come from?
The 2026 edition marks a historic record for the Costa Blanca Cup. It surpasses all previous participation figures and will welcome players from 34 different countries across five continents, representing the 319 teams involved.
In futsal, teams come from nine countries: France, England, Ireland and Spain in Europe; Canada, Brazil, Colombia and Venezuela in the Americas; and Australia in Oceania.
In football, 25 countries will be represented: Brazil, the United States, Canada, Chile, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Uruguay from the Americas; Spain, France, England, Northern Ireland, Iceland, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Switzerland, Estonia and the transcontinental nation of Türkiye from Europe; Taiwan and the United Arab Emirates from Asia; and Algeria, Morocco, Nigeria, Tanzania and Uganda from Africa.
- Solidarity and education are also key elements of the CBC
Among the flags represented in the football tournament will be that of Uganda. Once again, Tour-Sport Promociones Deportivas and The Boys’ Mentorship Programme – Africa (https://boysmentorship.africa/) are working together to make it possible for a group of disadvantaged and orphaned children to attend the event. Through the NGO’s support, these children receive values-based education and assistance in various aspects of their lives and development. They will travel to Europe to enjoy several days of football through friendly matches and to share experiences with children from different cultures.
- Opening ceremonies as the tournament’s showcase
For Tour-Sport Promociones Deportivas, providing a warm welcome to all participating teams, coaching staffs and accompanying family members is of special importance. This is reflected in the opening ceremonies.
For futsal, the opening ceremony will take place at Benidorm Palace (Avenida Doctor Severo Ochoa, 13, Benidorm) on 1 July at 9:00 p.m.
For football, Benidorm’s Julio Iglesias Auditorium will once again host the traditional welcome ceremony. Teams will begin a parade from the seafront promenade at Avenida de Europa on 6 July from 8:30 p.m.
Both events will be filled with music, lights, colour and emotion as participants prepare for their respective tournaments through to the finals (5 July for futsal and 11 July for football).
- Participant health and safety
All participants are covered by insurance for injuries that may occur during Costa Blanca Cup 2026 matches. This is sports accident insurance covering competition-related injuries, not illness. In addition, all venues have first-aid medical services available to deal with any incidents that may arise.
- A variety of activities of interest
The organisation is committed to creating memorable experiences through sport. Alongside the opening ceremonies and trophy presentations following the finals, other highlights throughout the tournament include the coaches’ matches, the leaders’ dinner and the football party.
- Everything available through the official app and website
All tournament information can be accessed and followed through the official tournament app. The app is available free of charge from smartphone app stores by downloading TOURSPORT APP and selecting the relevant tournament.
Once installed, users can easily access schedules, venues, playing fields, participating teams, results and standings, activity programmes, tournament regulations, medical assistance information and much more.
The same information is also available through the official website, as well as through the tournaments’ social media channels. Team delegates can additionally obtain information directly through the communication channels provided by the organisation.