Costa Blanca Cup 2026 to feature players representing 34 countries and a total of 319 teams
The international youth football tournament will bring together 206 teams from 25 nationalities, while also maintaining a social commitment through the participation of children from Uganda. In addition, the futsal competition will feature 113 teams from 9 countries
Costa Blanca Cup, organised by Tour-Sport Promociones Deportivas, was first launched in 1994 with its inaugural football tournament and celebrates its 32nd anniversary in 2026. Some years later, the event expanded to include a futsal competition, which this year reaches its 21st edition. Throughout this time, the tournament has remained committed to its core values: sporting excellence, international participation and memorable experiences for young athletes.
Each year, the organisers work to meet these objectives while continuing to grow and achieve new milestones. Once again, Costa Blanca Cup 2026 will set new records of its own, with players from 34 different countries across five continents competing and representing a total of 319 teams.
Historically, the football and futsal tournaments were held simultaneously. However, the growth of both competitions and accommodation requirements led to the introduction of consecutive tournament periods. As a result, Costa Blanca Cup 2026 will begin with the futsal tournament, which will take place from 1 to 5 July. Across the selected venues, a total of 113 teams representing 9 nationalities will compete.
Notably, the combined number of teams from countries other than Spain exceeds the number of Spanish teams by one. In other words, there will be 57 international teams compared to 56 Spanish teams. Among the international participants, France will be represented by 17 teams, Australia (Oceania) by 10 teams, and Venezuela (South America) by 9 teams. There will also be teams from Brazil, Canada, England and Ireland.
Almost simultaneously with the futsal finals, the football tournament will begin, with teams arriving on 5 July and competition potentially continuing through to the finals on 11 July. The figures for the football competition are considerably higher, with 25 countries represented at the 2026 Costa Blanca Cup. A total of 206 teams will take part.
For the first time, international teams will outnumber Spanish teams by a significant margin. This is reflected in the participation of 117 international teams compared to 89 teams from across Spain. Brazil confirms its strong presence with a total of 20 teams, while the United States will be represented by 23 teams. In addition to Spain, Brazil and the USA, teams will also arrive from Algeria, Canada, Chile, the United Arab Emirates, France, England, Northern Ireland, Iceland, Morocco, Mexico, Nigeria, Norway, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Romania, Switzerland, Taiwan, Türkiye and Uruguay.
Among the flags represented in the football tournament will be that of Uganda. Once again, Tour-Sport Promociones Deportivas and The Boys’ Mentorship Programme – Africa (https://boysmentorship.africa/
) have joined forces to make it possible for a group of disadvantaged and orphaned children to attend the event. Through the work of the NGO, these children receive values-based education and support in various aspects of their personal and educational development. They will travel to Europe to take part in the tournament, enjoying several days of football through a programme of friendly matches and sharing experiences with children from different cultures.
With the registration phase now closed, preparations are fully focused on kick-off across the various sports facilities of the Marina Baixa and Marina Alta regions of Alicante Province. The support and collaboration of local towns and municipalities remain essential, including Benidorm, Villajoyosa, Altea, Alfàs del Pi, La Nucía, Finestrat and Calpe.
Costa Blanca Cup is built around four key pillars that guarantee an unforgettable experience for its participants: sporting competition, international diversity, the promotion of sports tourism, and the experiential essence that defines the event. Once again, this edition will deliver on those pillars while continuing to strengthen them.
Looking back at the figures from the 2025 tournament, they clearly demonstrate the impact generated by this international event. Across both tournament formats that make up Costa Blanca Cup, a total of 305 teams participated, arriving from 30 different countries. Of these, 117 were Spanish teams, 115 were international teams from four continents, and 73 were local teams. These figures highlighted what became a historic record-breaking edition, both in terms of overall participation and international team participation. However, as demonstrated above, those records will be surpassed once again in 2026.