CIC Youth

At a glance

• CIC Youth is the 12th edition of a youth football tournament held from 4 to 15 July 2027 in Christchurch, New Zealand.
• Tournaments for seven age groups, from U9 to U15, run over 12 days, with a separate playing period for each age group.
• All matches are played at a single venue, the United Sports Centre, whose all-weather pitches keep the schedule on track.
• Each category has 16 teams in 4 groups, and every team is guaranteed 6 matches over three days.
• In 2026, more than 130 teams and about 2,000 players took part in this well-established New Zealand youth tournament.

Venue

United Sports Centre, 466 Yaldhurst Road, Yaldhurst, Christchurch 8042, New Zealand

About the tournament

CIC Youth is a youth football tournament held every July by Christchurch United FC, a non-profit club in Christchurch on New Zealand's South Island; 2027 is the 12th edition. Tournaments for seven age groups, from U9 to U15, are held over 12 days, with all matches played at a single venue, the United Sports Centre. Each category has 16 teams in 4 groups, and every team is guaranteed 6 matches over three days.

Details

The Christchurch International Cup (CIC Youth) is a youth football tournament held every July in Christchurch, on New Zealand's South Island; 2027 is the 12th edition. It is organized by Christchurch United Football Club Incorporated, a non-profit club founded in 1970, and is described as the most established youth football tournament in New Zealand's South Island. 📅 Tournament dates · The 2027 tournament runs for 12 days, from 4 to 15 July. · Each age group has its own playing period: U14 from 4 to 6 July, U15 from 7 to 9 July, U9–U11 from 10 to 12 July and U12–U13 from 13 to 15 July. 📍 Venue · All matches are played at a single venue, the United Sports Centre, at 466 Yaldhurst Road, Yaldhurst, Christchurch 8042. · Full-size and small-sided pitches sit side by side, so all age groups play at the same venue. · The pitches are all-weather, so the schedule is not delayed even during Christchurch's winter. · There are spectator areas and parking around the pitches, as well as a café and food and drink outlets. ✈️ Airport transfers · The organizers state that the venue is directly connected to Christchurch Airport and the city centre, with accommodation nearby. Specific travel times are not published. ⚽ Categories · Tournaments are held for seven age groups, from U9 to U15. · U9 plays 5-a-side, U10–U11 7-a-side, U12–U13 9-a-side, and U14 and U15 11-a-side. 🏆 Participating teams · The 2026 tournament had more than 130 teams and about 2,000 players. More than 6,000 people visited the United Sports Centre. · Club and academy teams come from across New Zealand and Australia, and clubs from other regions are also invited in 2027. Sydney FC from Australia has taken part in the past. · According to local media, the tournament started in 2016, and its second edition in 2017 already had 82 teams and about 1,300 players. ⏱ Match format · Tournaments for seven age groups run over 12 days, each with 16 teams split into 4 groups. · Every team is guaranteed 6 matches over three days, regardless of its group ranking. · The group stage is a round-robin; the first and second teams in each group go into the Cup play-offs (places 1–8), and the third and fourth teams into the Plate play-offs (places 9–16). · Teams keep playing even after losing a play-off match, so all places are decided to the end. · Categories with 20 teams are split into 5 groups of 4, and the 5 group winners plus the 3 best second-placed teams go into the Cup play-offs. · Match specifications: U9 plays 20-minute halves on a 50m×32m pitch with a size 4 ball; U10–U11 plays 20-minute halves on a 68m×50m pitch with a size 4 ball; U12–U13 plays 20-minute halves on a 68m×50m pitch with a size 4 ball; U14 and U15 play 25-minute halves on a 105m×68m pitch with a size 5 ball. 🏟 Tournament operations · The tournament is led by a tournament director. · The dedicated CIC Youth mobile app shows draws, results and skills challenge rankings. · Matches are streamed on a separate streaming page. · A skills challenge is held during the tournament. 🌊 About the area · Christchurch is the largest city on New Zealand's South Island, and Yaldhurst, where the tournament takes place, lies west of the city centre. · July is winter in the Southern Hemisphere, bringing cool weather that suits football.

How to enter

Participation in CIC Youth starts with the Register Your Interest form on the official website. Each age group has a fixed number of places, and registration closes once they are filled. 1. Enter your team details and preferred age group in the Register Your Interest form on the official website. 2. The tournament team contacts you to confirm your place, category and registration process. 3. The entry fee is charged per team and varies by age group. After registering your interest, you receive details of the fee and what it includes for your category. 4. Teams coming from outside Christchurch can include their departure city to receive information on accommodation, transport and packages. The organizers have also offered packages combining tournament entry, accommodation, transport, meals and local activities, coordinated by a single contact person. 5. Draws and results can be checked in the dedicated tournament app and on the official page. 📌 Registration summary · Application: Register Your Interest form on the official website · Places: limited per age group, first come, first served · Entry fee: per team, varies by age group; details provided individually after registration · Contact: info@cicyouth.com / +64 22 632 6206 (tournament director)

Photos

Photo source: cicyouth.com

Video

Watch video (YouTube)

Contact

Official website

cicyouth.com

Email

info@cicyouth.com

Phone

+64 22 632 6206

Instagram

@christchurchinternationalcup