The Football Tournament “Asenovgrad Youth Cup 2026” brought together ten teams on the field

This Saturday, September 12, the field at Asenovgrad Youth Center became the stage for a real sports celebration. Ten teams, hundreds of spectators, hours of intense play, and most importantly – smiles that lingered long after the referee’s final whistle.

It all began at 8:30 in the morning, when the teams started gathering in front of the Youth Center building. After a brief warm-up, official team registration followed, along with the drawing of lots for the tournament matches. From there, the games got underway, split into two halves of 8 minutes each, guaranteeing dynamic play and tension right up to the final second.

The tournament was organized into two separate age groups, so that both the youngest players and the older teens could compete against their peers.

**Under 12 years Group**

Six teams took part in this category, each with its own name and character on the field:

“The Quails”

“Storm”

FC “Stars”

“The Bricks”

“The Demolishers”

“The Madmen of Asenovgrad”

After hard-fought matches, the final standings in the group were as follows:

🥇 1st place – FC “Stars”

🥈 2nd place – “The Bricks”

🥉 3rd place – “The Demolishers”

The individual awards in this age group ended up shared between two teammates from FC “Stars” – Mert Shakir was named the tournament’s best goalkeeper, while Radoslav Naydenov topped the top-scorer rankings. A double point of pride for the team that also claimed the overall group victory.

**Ages 13 to 18 Group**

Among the older participants, the battle was no less fierce. Four teams took part in the tournament:

“The Destroyers”

“Kyuchuka”

“The Lilliputians”

FC “The Rabbits”

Final standings:

🥇 1st place – “The Destroyers”

🥈 2nd place – FC “The Rabbits”

🥉 3rd place – “The Lilliputians”

The title of the tournament’s top scorer in this age group went to Stefan Kushev from the champion team “The Destroyers” – a well-deserved recognition for a player who led his team to first place with both his play and his sharp instinct in front of goal.

Throughout the day, professional refereeing and medical personnel were present on the field, ensuring the tournament proceeded according to the rules and in complete safety for all participants. The entire Youth Center team – Vesela Radkova, Desislava Dimitrova, Dzhemile Bekirova, and Blagovest Popov – were on the field from the first to the last minute, organizing team registration, monitoring the course of the matches, and ensuring the day ran smoothly for everyone involved.

The Director of Asenovgrad Youth Center, Yanaki Peychev, played a special role in organizing the tournament – personally recording the results of each match and closely monitoring fair play on the field, ensuring the spirit of sportsmanship remained at the forefront throughout the tournament.

The event ran until 2:00 PM, and the stands were never empty for a moment – numerous parents and additional spectators followed every match with interest, cheered goals, encouraged their teams, and created a genuine festive atmosphere around the field.

At the end of the day, the winners from both age groups received their well-earned trophies and medals at an official award ceremony – a moment filled with emotion, pride, and plenty of smiles, as small and big champions alike raised their trophies high in front of their loved ones.

Asenovgrad Youth Center extends its gratitude to all the teams, participants, parents, and spectators who made “Asenovgrad Youth Cup 2026” a true sports celebration for the whole town.

The tournament is part of the rich calendar of initiatives at Asenovgrad Youth Center running through the end of 2026.

The next event is already on the horizon – on September 19, 2026 (Saturday), we continue with the “Clean Metoh” eco-action, a volunteer initiative to clean up the area of the same name in Asenovgrad.