Tournament Information

The Edinburgh INTERNATIONAL Cup Formats

All clubs, which are members of their FIFA-affiliated national associations, are welcome to participate in The Edinburgh International Cup. In countries where football is operated by the schools, we also allow teams affiliated with their school football association. All small-sided 4, 5, 7, and 9-a-side teams will follow the events set by event organizers.

The Edinburgh International Cup will offer two formats to suit teams of all abilities, these will be a non-competitive festival or a competitive tournament.

The following age group teams will participate in the competitive tournament, GU14, GU16, BU13, BU14, BU15, and BU16, and will begin with a group play. Teams are divided into groups of six (depending on the teams registered), where all teams are playing each other once. (Subject to entry uptake, the top three teams of each group will progress to The Edinburgh International Cup, trophy, and plate finals, fourth, fifth, and sixth-placed teams of each group will either play in the play-off B section for final positions or be eliminated from the event. Alternatively, teams may be in groups of 4, in which all teams progress to a quarter-final based on the standings (top two progress to advance Q/F), bottom two progress to development Q/F), if you are successful you would progress to the S/F, fail to progress you will compete in a final position game.

Additionally, it’s important to mention that BU13s are divided into two segments: a competitive tournament and a one-day development festival with a non-competitive focus. The latter option is designed to accommodate teams with lower skill levels

 All players must be insured, both for games and leisure time.

The following age groups will participate in the non-competitive festival; BU7, BU8, BU9, BU10, BU11, BU12, GU10, and GU12, all teams will play in round-robin games with a minimum of 5 games throughout the event.

AGE GROUP CATEGORIES

Girls Categories:

GU10 – must be born on or after 1st January 2015 – must be born on or before 31st December 2017
GU12 – must be born on or after 1st January 2013 – must be born on or before 31st December 2015
GU14 – must be born on or after 1st January 2011 – must be born on or before 31st December 2013
GU16 – must be born on or after 1st January 2009 – must be born on or before 31st December 2011

Age Group Days

Friday 1st of August 2025

BU13, BU14, BU15, BU16, GU14 & GU16 – Group Stages

(Note: The event is expected to start at 12noon, but specific age groups may start later throughout the day. Times are subject to operations and may change up to 48 hours before the event.)

Saturday 2nd of August 2025

BU8, BU9, BU10*, GU10, BU11*, & GU12 – Round Robin Festival

BU13, BU14, BU15, BU16, GU14 & GU16 – Group Stages and/or Play-Offs

(Note: The event starts at 10am, but certain age groups may begin later. Timing is determined by operations and may change up to 48 hours before the event.)

Sunday 3rd of August 2025

BU10*, BU11*, GU12 & BU12 – Round Robin Festival

BU13, BU14, BU15, BU16, GU14 & GU16 – Finals

(Note: Finals day kicks off at 10am with the youngest age group, followed by older age groups later in the day. Example kickoff times: BU13 – 10am, BU14 – 11:15am, GU14 – 12:30pm, BU15 – 1:45pm, GU16 – 3pm, BU16 – 4:15pm.)

*The age group marked has the option to select one or both days.

Up to four (4) players with a maximum of one year older than the standard age can be permitted to play at all 11’side age groups, however, special dispensation is required no later than 14 days prior to the event start date. For 4, 5, 7 & 9-a-sides, a dispensation will automatically be granted to up to 4 players. Girls may play in boys’ teams in all age categories, as long as the regulations for age categories are followed.

Number of teams and Players at The Edinburgh Cup

In recent years we have not been able to accept all teams that wished to join. At 4-a-side and 5-a-side we limit no more than 5 teams per age group, at 7 & 9-a-side we limit no more than 2 teams per age group ability tier. The teams that have registered and paid the registration fee have first priority. Registration counts as the date we receive the registration fee. Please keep in mind we are expecting over 600 teams and that most younger age groups tend to be fully booked very early.

PLAYERS PERMITTED

4v4 – minimum 4 / Maximum 7

5v5 – minimum 5 / Maximum 9

7v7 – minimum 7 / Maximum 11

9v9 – minimum 9 / Maximum 14

11v11 – minimum 11 / Maximum 20

Please note that additional players can be permitted in certain circumstances, however, this required to be approved by the event committee.

COACHES PERMITTED

4V4 Teams – 2x Leaders Per Team

5V5 Teams – 2x Leaders Per Team

7v7 Teams – 2 Leaders Per Team

9v9 Teams – 3 Leaders Per Team

11v11 Teams – 4 Leaders Per Team

Please only add qualified leaders/officials that have been approved by the national body, all leaders/officials will receive ‘leader’ passes at registration. Proof may be required at registration. 

Awards/Prizes

All players will receive a commemorative medal at the end of each age group event. Please note we are not able to send medals out by post in the event you miss the presentation times.

PERMITS

All teams are advised to request a tournament permit to participate in the event from your local/national association, however, this is not a requirement to participate in The Edinburgh International Cup, and failing to receive a permit from your local/national FA will not affect your team’s registration. (Please note a permit is required from the SYFA)

VISA APPLICATIONS

Teams needing a visa for the event must obtain approval 30 days before it and produce proof. Failure to do so will lead to revocation of approval and forfeiture of any fees paid. However, credit can be applied for next year’s event.

Insurances & Responsibility

Ensure all your players are insured on and off the playing field. The Edinburgh International Cup does not carry any group insurance protecting participants in case of injury, illness, theft, or damage to property or communicable diseases. Participants from countries that have no medical insurance agreement with Scotland must have personal medical insurance.

PLEASE DO NOT KEEP ANY MONEY OR VALUABLES IN THE FACILITY CHANGING ROOMS.

Entry, Payments & Additional Fees

Please be aware that the younger categories tend to fill up quickly. To secure a spot at the Edinburgh International Cup, all teams must promptly register and pay the entry fee. The registration time is calculated from the day we receive the registration fee, and it must be paid within 30 days of submitting the online registration, but no later than 1st July. It’s essential to note that registration and payment do not automatically guarantee team approval.

If your team is placed on the ‘standby list,’ it means we have received your payment, and our team is reviewing the registration, or the event is currently full until further notice. In case you withdraw after approval and payment, the registration fee is non-refundable, though credit may be offered in some cases. If The Edinburgh International Cup does not approve your team or you withdraw after being placed on the standby list, a refund will be provided (minus a 3.9% transaction fee).

Please note that in certain circumstances outside our control, The Edinburgh International Cup committee has the right to cancel/withdraw any team registration without any prior notice given.

accommodation fee clause 

Teams participating in the BU13-BU16 and GU14-GU16 age categories, located 60 miles or more from the event venue or residing outside Scotland, are mandated to stay in official accommodation. Teams selecting non-official lodging will incur an extra fee of £360 per team, payable to The Edinburgh International Cup. Furthermore, teams or individuals within the group choosing to directly approach an approved accommodation partner and opt to stay will result in the cancellation of their registration. Failure to comply with any of the above requirements will breach entry conditions, leading to potential withdrawal from the event. If you opt for daily commuting over official accommodation, formal approval must be sought from The Edinburgh International Cup.

Those intending to stay in the official accommodation must be booked as a group (minimum 20 people) unless agreed by the TECC.

Please refer to The Edinburgh International Cup Tour and Accommodation partner for detailed Terms and Conditions.

Spectator ETICKET

A modest fee of £9.50 is set for spectators aged 16 and above (Players and children under the age of 16 and coaches enter for FREE). Please note this is only those that enter Peffermill Sports Village, all other venues are free to enter.

The above amount not only grants entry to the event but also serves as a contribution towards supporting a large number of diverse initiatives such as accessing all entertainment activities including gaming zone, inflatables and face painting. Please check our HERE for more details.

Cancellation of the tournament and Force Majeure

In the event that The Edinburgh International Cup can’t be held or is postponed due to events beyond the control of the festival organisers (force majeure*) or due to events that are not attributable to wrongful intent or gross negligence or the festival organisers, the festival organisers cannot be held liable by the delegations for any damages, costs or losses incurred, such as transportation costs, accommodation costs, costs for additional orders, financial losses, etc. Under these circumstances, the festival organisers reserve the right to either retain the entire registration/accommodation fee and to use it for a future tournament or to reimburse the delegations after deducting costs already incurred for the organisation of the tournament and which could not be recovered from third parties.

All team leaders that register a team(s) into The Edinburgh International Cup enter into an agreement or `service` includes access to our online portal and participation in the event.

*The Edinburgh International Cup is in no way responsible for injury or economic loss which may arise in the case of war, warlike events, civil war, revolution or civil disturbances or because of the actions of the authorities, strikes, lockouts, blockades, or similar events or communicable diseases.

IMPORTANT: Due to significant construction work planned at Peffermill Sports Village, the venue capacity is expected to be reduced. This may lead to changes, a reduction in the number of teams, or potential cancellations for certain age groups. However, this has yet to be finalized. We will inform teams as soon as possible once the situation is clearer.

Not Permitted

Playing period