Pictured (l-r) Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, Councillor Oliver Mc Mullan, Mayor of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, Councillor Jackson Minford and Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council Councillor Leah Kirkpatrick.
The 2025 edition of the Budget Energy SuperCupNI has been widely acclaimed as one of the most successful in the tournament’s 42-year history, as record-breaking crowds gathered for a spectacular week of elite youth football.
From Sunday 27th July to Friday 1st August, the tournament brought together 62 elite boys’ and girls’ teams from across the globe, with over 60,000 fans attending over 150 matches contested by more than 1,200 of the brightest young players across five age groups.
Hosted across Causeway Coast and Glens, Antrim and Newtownabbey, and Mid and East Antrim, the week kicked off in style with an Opening Ceremony at the Coleraine Showgrounds attended by 2,500 fans and officially opened by Northern Ireland legend Gareth McAuley MBE.
Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens, Councillor Oliver McMullan said: “On behalf of Council I was delighted to see young footballers of all ages compete over an exciting week of matches in both Causeway Coast and Glens and our adjoining Council areas.
“SuperCupNI brings people together from all over the world and we are delighted to continue to welcome these outstanding players, their families’, friends and coaches to our part of the world. Well done to the organisers for delivering this fantastic competition once again.”
The tournament also drew global attention with appearances from football legends including Manchester United and England legends Wayne Rooney and Michael Carrick, as well as former Northern Ireland stars Stuart Dallas, Corey Evans, Steve Lomas and Keith Gillespie.
The Boys’ Premier Final brought the curtain down on an unforgettable week of football, as Southampton edged Manchester United 1-0 in front of a packed crowd at the Coleraine Showgrounds. Jude Daniels struck the winner early in the second half, while the Saints’ commanding centre-back Bobby Martin was named Player of the Tournament in the Boys’ Premier section for a series of standout performances.
In the Boys’ Junior Final, Co. Antrim saw off fierce rivals Co. Armagh 2-1 in a tightly contested derby. Striker Michael Mulholland opened the scoring before setting up the winner in a display that earned him the Bertie Peacock Award for best overall County player in the Boys’ Junior section.
The Boys’ Minor Final produced a classic all-Belfast contest with Cliftonville edging past Linfield 1-0. Keagan O’Connor was the match-winner for the Reds and finished the tournament as joint Golden Boot recipient in the Boys’ Minor section.
The Girls’ Premier Final delivered one of the week’s most dramatic matches, as Shamrock Rovers overturned a two-goal deficit to beat Brighton 3-2 in Ballyclare. Influential midfielder Mia Murtagh drove the comeback and was named Player of the Tournament in the Girls’ Premier section.
In the Girls’ Junior Final, Manchester United were clinical in a 3-0 win over Surf Select (USA). Eva Bold opened the scoring with a spectacular long-range strike and was later named Player of the Tournament in the Girls’ Junior section, while teammate Daisy Booth secured the Golden Boot in the section.
Victor Leonard, Chairperson of the Budget Energy SuperCupNI, said: “This has been one of the most memorable tournaments in our 42-year history. We welcomed record breaking crowds, witnessed outstanding football across all five age groups and celebrated the exceptional organisation required to deliver an event of this scale and prestige.
“The commitment of our volunteers, partners and host councils continues to define what makes the Budget Energy SuperCupNI one of the world’s leading youth football competitions.
“We are especially proud of how the tournament brings communities together, inspires young players and attracts global attention to Northern Ireland. The energy, passion and professionalism shown this week, both on and off the pitch, has been exceptional.
“Our heartfelt thanks go to our volunteers, whose dedication is the heartbeat of this tournament, and to our key partners, especially title sponsor Budget Energy, for helping us raise the bar once again.
As we reflect on an unforgettable week, our focus now shifts to 2026. Interest in the tournament continues to grow and we look forward to delivering another world class edition next summer.”
BOYS’ PREMIER SECTION WINNERS & AWARDS
Trophy Winners
- Cup Final: Southampton
- Globe Final: Ichifuna (Japan)
- Vase Final: Co. Londonderry
- Bowl Final: Co. Armagh
- Sporting Award: Ichifuna
Individual Awards
- Player of the Tournament: Bobby Martin (Southampton)
- Golden Boot: Luke Fleming (Co. Londonderry)
- Bertie Peacock Award (County Player): Liam Kelly (Co. Londonderry)
BOYS’ JUNIOR SECTION WINNERS & AWARDS
Trophy Winners
- Final: Co. Antrim
- Globe Final: Blackburn Rovers
- Vase Final: Co. Londonderry
- Bowl Final: Crewe Alexandra
- Sporting Award: Plymouth Argyle
Individual Awards
- Player of the Tournament: Jack McGill (Bohemians)
- Golden Boot: Ty Livesey (Blackburn Rovers)
- Bertie Peacock Award (County Player): Michael Mulholland (Co. Antrim)
BOYS’ MINOR SECTION WINNERS & AWARDS
Trophy Winners
- Final: Cliftonville
- Globe Final: Leeds United
- Vase Final: Loughgall
- Bowl Final: Ross County
- Sporting Award: IDA Bermuda
Individual Awards
- Player of the Tournament: Noor Obeid (Al Jazira Club)
- Golden Boot (Joint Winners): Keagan O’Connor (Cliftonville) & Abdul Fawaz-Ayomiposi (Shamrock Rovers)
GIRLS’ PREMIER SECTION WINNERS & AWARDS
Trophy Winners
- Final: Shamrock Rovers
- Globe Final: Manchester United
- Vase Final: Northern Ireland
- Bowl Final: North East Rush (USA)
- Sporting Award: Finn Harps
Individual Awards
- Player of the Tournament: Mia Murtagh (Shamrock Rovers)
- Golden Boot: Summer Hadfield (Manchester United)
GIRLS’ JUNIOR SECTION WINNERS & AWARDS
Trophy Winners
- Final: Manchester United
- Globe Final: Larne
- Vase Final: FC United
- Sporting Award: Surf Select
Individual Awards
- Player of the Tournament: Eva Bold (Manchester United)
- Golden Boot: Daisy Booth (Manchester United)
COUNTY AWARDS WINNERS
- Bertie Peacock Award – Junior County Player: Michael Mulholland (Co. Antrim)
- Bertie Peacock Award – Premier County Player: Liam Kelly (Co. Londonderry)
- David McClarty County Award: County Antrim
The 2025 Budget Energy SuperCupNI is proudly supported by headline partner Budget Energy, alongside a strong line-up of valued partners including Tourism NI; Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council; Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council; Mid and East Antrim Borough Council; Sterling Insurance; Creagh Concrete; Uhlsport; Clearer Water; Tesco; The Premier League; TrustFord; 247.tv; and BuyTicketApp.
For more information on the Budget Energy SuperCupNI visit www.supercupni.com.