The Costa Blanca Cup welcomes 206 teams from 25 countries to the opening of its 32nd edition
The international youth football tournament, first held in 1994, kicks off with the traditional opening ceremony in Benidorm and the first day of matches
Music, lights, performances, and fireworks, but above all, camaraderie and multiculturalism. The Costa Blanca Cup, organized by Tour-Sport Promociones Deportivas, held its first edition as an international youth football tournament in 1994. This year marks its 32nd year as the leading summer championship, co-directed by Fernando Brotons and Daniel Artíguez. And to begin, as is tradition and a hallmark of the tournament, it kicked off with a spectacular opening ceremony at the Julio Iglesias Auditorium in Benidorm, where all the participating teams were welcomed after parading from the seafront promenade.
Benidorm (July 6, 2026). It was the gateway to a week of football, with 206 teams (117 from abroad and 89 from Spain) competing across different age categories. Both the tournament opening and the championship itself were a truly experiential event, with 25 countries represented: Brazil, the United States, Canada, Chile, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, and Venezuela from the Americas; Spain, France, England, Northern Ireland, Iceland, Norway, Portugal, Romania, Switzerland, Estonia, and Turkey from Europe; Asia, with China, Taiwan, and the United Arab Emirates also participating; and Morocco, Nigeria, and Tanzania from Africa. More than 4,000 young players, both boys and girls, participated in the youth football tournament.
This figure adds to the recently concluded Costa Blanca Cup futsal tournament, in which 113 teams (57 from abroad and 56 from Spain) competed, representing nine countries: France, England, Ireland, and Spain from Europe; Canada, Brazil, Colombia, and Venezuela from the Americas; and Australia from Oceania.
After the team presentations, the Boogie Block dance group performed, followed by the unveiling of the official Costa Blanca Cup 2026 jersey. The evening continued with another acrobatic show by Pablo Gómez.
The mayor of Benidorm, Toni Pérez, then took to the stage to welcome everyone: “Welcome once again to Benidorm. You have five days of playing, competing, and enjoying yourselves ahead of you: live them to the fullest. The Costa Blanca Cup is your own personal World Cup. We will do everything we can to ensure you enjoy these days in Benidorm, because we love it when people who come here have a great time.”
The opening ceremony concluded with a fireworks display set to the official World Cup song.
Thanks were also extended to the venues that make up the network of fields where all the matches will be played: Benidorm, L’Alfàs del Pi, Altea, La Nucía, Calpe, Finestrat, and La Vila Joiosa. The collaboration of Kappa, Grupo HCB Hospitales, Fútbol Factory, Sala Marina, Aqualandia, Terra Mítica, Hotel Melià Benidorm, and Prime is also essential.
And, if you can't attend in person, the best way to follow the tournament is through the official app. Go to your smartphone's app store, search for TOURSPORT APP, select the Costa Blanca Cup tournament, and then football. You'll be able to follow schedules, matches, and all the information.
In any case, the ball started rolling this Monday with the first group stage matches in all the boys' categories (B8, B10, B11, B12, B13, B14, B15, B16, B17, and B19) and girls' categories (G12, G14, G16, and G19).