Young people represented Burton Albion taking part in the Under-16 girls’ Premier League Kicks Cup regional tournaments, in a bid to secure their place at the 2026 finals.
Nine regional tournaments were staged at community facilities across the country, with hundreds of young people representing Premier League, EFL and National League clubs hoping to win the opportunity to represent their club in the Premier League Kicks Cup 2026 finals at St George’s Park in July.
The Premier League Kicks Cup tournament is one of the competition elements of Premier League Kicks, the Premier League’s longest running community programme that celebrated its 20th anniversary in March, as part of the Premier League’s More Than a Game campaign.
Premier League Kicks sees 93 Premier League, EFL and National League clubs, including Burton Albion Community Trust, delivering free weekly football and personal-development sessions in communities across England and Wales.
Since the launch of the programme, which uses the power of football to inspire young people to reach their potential, more than 600,000 young people have participated at over 5,000 venues. Sessions take place in some of the most under-served communities, supporting those who need it most.
Premier League Foundation Chief Executive Alex White said: “Premier League Kicks regional tournaments create opportunities for thousands of young people to come together and represent their clubs on the pitch in a fun, competitive environment. While we know that many young people come to weekly Premier League Kicks sessions for the football skills, the off-pitch activities available at those and at tournaments help to empower young people to build important life-skills, discover their potential and build brighter futures beyond the game.”
Burton Albion Community Trust joined Under-16 girls’ teams at the Midlands Premier League Kicks Cup regional qualifier, hosted by West Bromwich Albion’s Albion Foundation, where they progressed to the semi-finals. The girls were edged out 1–0 by Stoke City, who went on to win the tournament, making it an outstanding achievement to reach the last four.
Everton and Crewe Alexandra are the current Premier League Kicks Cup champions, having won the Under-16 mixed and Under-16 girls’ tournaments respectively in 2025.
Alongside the tournament, participants in the regional qualifiers will have access to a series of off-pitch workshops designed to encourage participants to talk about mental health and wellbeing, inclusion and community safety.
Ben Webster, Programmes Manager, said “We’re incredibly proud of the young people that have represented Burton Albion Community Trust at the Under-16 girls’ Premier League Kicks Cup regional tournament. These competitions are about far more than football. They give young people confidence, inspire teamwork and provide opportunities to develop life skills that will support them both on and off the pitch. We thank The Albion Foundation for their hospitality during the day and for hosting a well-ran tournament.”
Isabelle, Beneficiary of Burton Albion Community Trust, said “The tournament was a great experience. I learnt a lot and enjoyed playing with my teammates and felt that we really improved throughout the games. It was exciting to play strong opponents and I’m really happy with how we did overall. The workshops were also great, as it improved our team building and we had a lot of fun working together”.
An independent evaluation of Premier League Kicks found that 93 per cent of alumni believe the programme helped them get into less trouble and avoid negative influence, with 91 per cent learning more about the impact of crime and anti-social behaviour, helping to change attitudes and choices.
To date, the Premier League has invested more than £96 million in Premier League Kicks through the Premier League Foundation, with a further £30m committed over the next three years.
Visit premierleague.com for more information.
