The Irish FA Foundation has officially launched this year’s George Best Community Cup.
The annual event is one of Northern Ireland’s longest-running and most significant inclusive football tournaments and attracts dozens of teams from across the UK and Ireland each year.
The launch event at the Clearer Twist National Stadium at Windsor Park brought together key stakeholders from football, local government and the community to highlight the tournament as it enters its 23rd year.
The latest edition of the George Best Community Cup was officially launched by the Mayor of Lisburn and Castlereagh, Amanda Grehan, who highlighted the importance of inclusive sport and the positive role the tournament plays in supporting inclusion, accessibility and opportunity for players with additional needs.
This year’s George Best Community Cup is set to be staged at its long-standing base, Billy Neill Playing Fields in Dundonald. The event, on 18 and 19 June, will be a celebration of inclusive football, fair play and community. It is expected to attract more than 70 teams.
The mayor said she was delighted the tournament is once again being hosted at the Billy Neill complex, which is located within the Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council area.
The 23rd edition of the event will be sponsored by the Mary Peters Trust with support from the council and PSNI. Uhlsport will be the equipment partner and The Mad Hatter the catering partner. And PwC and Belfast Metropolitan College will again bring along an army of volunteers to help deliver the tournament alongside Irish FA Foundation staff.
The George Best Community Cup was established in 2003 and has grown to become one of the UK and Ireland’s leading inclusive football tournaments. What began as a mixed-format community initiative with a handful of teams has evolved into a dedicated inclusive football event aligned with the Irish FA Foundation’s long-term Football for All vision.
The launch event was formally opened by Irish FA President Conrad Kirkwood, followed by a welcome and overview of the tournament’s history and impact. Attendees also viewed a short film celebrating the George Best Community Cup and its role in transforming inclusive football across the region.
A panel discussion followed, bringing together Lady Mary Peters of the Mary Peters Trust, international player Charlie Fogarty MBE (Northern Ireland Cerebral Palsy team) and Connie Hodge, coach at Larne Lions, who will enter the tournament for the first time this year, as well as Larne Lions player Mia Montgomery.
The panel members shared valuable insights into inclusive football, disability sport and the collective responsibility to ensure football is welcoming and accessible for all. The discussion reinforced the importance of language, representation and meaningful opportunities within the game.
Keith Gibson, Inclusive Football and Sustainability Manager at the Irish FA Foundation, praised the collective effort behind the tournament.
He said: “The George Best Community Cup is about far more than football. It’s about belonging, opportunity and creating environments where every player feels valued and respected.
“This tournament exists because of the passion of our partners, sponsors, volunteers, coaches, clubs and families – and we are truly grateful for their continued support.”
Main image: The Mayor of Lisburn and Castlereagh, Amanda Grehan, and Lady Mary Peters at the George Best Community Cup launch event with (from left) Councillor Tim Mitchell, Chair of Communities and Wellbeing Committee at Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council, James Thompson (Director of Foundation, Irish FA), Keith Gibson (Inclusive Football and Sustainability Manager, Irish FA Foundation), Northern Ireland CP international Charlie Fogarty and Stephen Watson (Inclusive Football Development Officer, Irish FA Foundation).
George Best Community Cup Launch Event
