English Premier League giants Manchester United, West Ham, Spurs and Brighton & Hove Albion discovered their group stage opponents as the Boys’ Premier, Junior and Minor Sections were officially drawn for the 2025 Budget Energy SuperCupNI.
The eagerly anticipated draw was conducted by legendary former Linfield and Ballymena United manager David Jeffrey MBE at Flowerfield Arts Centre in Portstewart, setting the stage for another world-class summer of international youth football.
Now in its 42nd year, the globally renowned Budget Energy SuperCupNI will take place from Sunday 27th July to Friday 1st August 2025, welcoming 62 of the world’s most prestigious Boys’ and Girls’ academies alongside elite teams from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.
In the Boys’ Premier Section, seven-time champions Manchester United have been drawn in Group C, where they will face Scottish Premiership heavyweights Rangers, West Cork Academy and County Tyrone.
Reigning champions Brighton & Hove Albion begin their title defence in Group A that includes Country Armagh, the team they beat in a dramatic penalty shootout win the 2024 Final, alongside Intercontinental FA and County Down.
Tournament debutants AFC Bournemouth make their long-awaited first appearance in Group B, where they will take on County Fermanagh, Hamilton Academical and Tigres UNAL.
Fellow Premier League newcomers Southampton are also set for their first SuperCupNI campaign and will face County Londonderry, County Antrim and Ichifuna from Japan in Group D
Deputy Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens, Councillor Tanya Stirling said: “The Budget Energy SuperCupNI is a flagship event for the Borough that brings world-class youth football to Causeway Coast and Glens while delivering significant economic and community benefits.
“The calibre of teams revealed is fantastic and we look forward to welcoming players, coaches, supporters and international visitors to our spectacular coastline for what promises to be a thrilling and unforgettable week of football.”
In the Boys’ Junior Section, reigning champions West Ham United will begin their quest to make history as the first club ever to win three consecutive Junior titles. The Hammers have been drawn in Group D, where they will face County Down, St Patrick’s Athletic, and Plymouth Argyle.
Tottenham Hotspur mark their long-awaited return to the tournament after more than a decade and will line up in Group B alongside County Antrim, County Londonderry and Charlton Athletic.
Scottish Premiership champions Celtic are set for a compelling Group C campaign against County Fermanagh, Bohemians and Chicago City, while English Championship outfit Blackburn Rovers will compete in Group A, where they take on County Armagh, County Tyrone and Crewe Alexandra.
David Jeffrey MBE, former Linfield and Ballymena United manager said: “The Budget Energy SuperCupNI is a tournament with an extraordinary global reputation and this year’s line-up across all three Boys’ Sections is packed with some of the biggest names in youth football.
“To have clubs of this calibre travelling from around the world, from Premier League academies to top teams from the USA, Japan, Mexico and beyond, alongside the very best of our local talent competing shoulder to shoulder with global opposition, is a real testament to the tournament’s standing and the remarkable work of the organisers.
“The SuperCupNI continues to capture everything that’s great about the game: talent, opportunity, and global reach. It’s no surprise that so many world-class players, including Sergio Busquets, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Marcus Rashford and Hirving Lozano, alongside homegrown stars like Conor Bradley, Jonny Evans and Steven Davis, began their journey here.
“I’ve no doubt this year’s competition will once again shine a light on the stars of tomorrow. It’s been an honour to play a small part in this year’s draw, and I look forward to seeing the action unfold this summer.”
In the Boys’ Minor Section, newly promoted Premier League side Leeds United return to the tournament for the first time since winning the Premier Section title in 2002. They will compete in Group C alongside Cliftonville, Loughgall and Surf Select.
Blackburn Rovers, another top-tier English academy, will line up in Group D where they will face Shankill Juniors, Coleraine and IDA Bermuda.
Scottish Premiership clubs Kilmarnock and Ross County have been drawn into Groups B and A respectively. Kilmarnock are set to meet Linfield, Glenavon and Al Jazira Club, backed by Sheikh Mansour the owner of Manchester City, while Ross County will take on defending champions Crusaders, Ballymena United and Shamrock Rovers.
Victor Leonard, Chairperson of the Budget Energy SuperCupNI said: “We’re incredibly proud of the line-up for this year’s tournament, it’s one of the most exciting we’ve ever assembled. The draw has delivered some fantastic match-ups across all three Boys’ Sections and it’s shaping up to be an action-packed week of thrilling football, great goals, and memorable moments.
“As organisers, we take huge pride in welcoming world-renowned clubs and rising teams from around the world, alongside the very best of our local talent. That mix is what makes the Budget Energy SuperCupNI so unique, and we can’t wait to see it all come to life this summer.
“To sustain and grow this level of international interest over four decades is a real credit to the dedication of our tournament team, our partners, and the footballing community that continues to support us year after year. We look forward to welcoming players, coaches and supporters for what promises to be another special chapter in the SuperCupNI story.”
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.
2025 SuperCupNI Boys’ Sections Draw
Minor Section
Group A – Crusaders, Ballymena United, Shamrock Rovers and Ross County
Group B – Linfield FC, Glenavon, Al Jazira Club and Kilmarnock FC
Group C – Cliftonville, Loughgall, Surf Select and Leeds United
Group D – Shankill Junior, Coleraine, IDA Bermuda and Blackburn Rovers
Junior Section
Group A – County Armagh, County Tyrone, Crewe Alexandra and Blackburn Rovers
Group B – County Antrim, County Londonderry, Charlton Athletic and Tottenham Hotspur
Group C – County Fermanagh, Bohemians, Chicago City and Celtic
Group D – County Down, St Patrick’s Athletic, Plymouth Argyle and West Ham United
Premier Section
Group A – County Down, County Armagh, Intercontinental FA and Brighton and Hove Albion
Group B – County Fermanagh, Hamilton Academical, Tigres UANL and AFC Bournemouth
Group C – County Tyrone, West Cork Academy, Rangers and Manchester United.
Group D – County Londonderry, County Antrim, Ichifuna and Southampton.
For more information on the Budget Energy SuperCupNI visit www.supercupni.com.
Pictured at the draw for the 2025 Budget Energy SuperCupNI Boys’ Premier, Junior and Minor Sections at Flowerfield Arts Centre in Portstewart is David Jeffrey MBE, former Linfield and Ballymena United manager alongside young footballers Ronan Smith from Cliftonville and Charlie O’Neill from Ballymena United.
Pictured at the draw for the 2025 Budget Energy SuperCupNI Boys’ Premier, Junior and Minor Sections at Flowerfield Arts Centre in Portstewart is Karl Bradley, Marketing Executive for Budget Energy and Deputy Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens, Councillor Tanya Stirling alongside young footballers Timur Myronov from Loughgall and Charlie O’Neill from Ballymena United.
Pictured at the draw for the 2025 Budget Energy SuperCupNI Boys’ Premier, Junior and Minor Sections at Flowerfield Arts Centre in Portstewart is Ollie Booth, National Account Manager for Clearer Water and Victor Leonard, Chairperson of the Budget Energy SuperCupNI alongside young footballers Zach Follis from Glenavon and Ronan Smith from Cliftonville.
Pictured at the draw for the 2025 Budget Energy SuperCupNI Boys’ Premier, Junior and Minor Sections at Flowerfield Arts Centre in Portstewart is Karl Bradley, Marketing Executive for Budget Energy and Victor Leonard, Chairperson of the Budget Energy SuperCupNI alongside young footballers Charlie O’Neill from Ballymena United, Ronan Smith from Cliftonville, Timur Myronov from Loughgall and Zach Follis from Glenavon.