Coming in 2027. R3 Football: a new national tournament pathway for grassroots youth clubs. Register interest now for priority entry.

Football

Launching 2027 · National tournament pathway

Represent your badge. Rise through the ranks. Reach the national stage.

R3 Football is a new three-round tournament pathway concept for grassroots youth clubs and academy teams, launching in 2027. R¹ Local Qualifiers, R² Regional Finals and a national stage at R³. Register now and your club gets priority entry when entries open.

Register club interestExplore the pathway
  • 30-second registration
  • No payment
  • No obligation

The R3 pathway

  1. Local Qualifiers

    One-day events near clusters of registered clubs.

  2. Regional Finals

    Qualifiers meet the best from neighbouring counties.

  3. National Finals

    Regional champions take the national stage, at a prestigious stadium venue.

Launching 2027, dates and venues announced to registered clubs first. Subject to County FA sanctioning.

Verified momentum

Club registrations now open

R3 is building its first season. The clubs registering now are the ones shaping formats, venues and pricing, and the first names through the door. Public demand figures go live here once registrations are verified. We never publish numbers we can't stand behind.

Register club interest

The pathway

Three rounds. One route to the top.

A simple, transparent progression from your local pitches to a national final. Registering interest puts your club in the priority queue for 2027.

  1. Local Qualifiers

    One-day qualifying events at quality venues near clusters of registered clubs.

    Travel expectation
    Indicative travel: up to 60 minutes
    Qualification result
    Top teams qualify for R²

  2. Regional Finals

    Qualifiers face the best teams from neighbouring counties for a place at the national stage.

    Travel expectation
    Indicative travel: regional venue
    Qualification result
    Regional champions reach R³

  3. National Finals

    A champions-only showcase day at a prestigious professional stadium, the stage young players never forget.

    Travel expectation
    Destination event: national venue
    Qualification result
    National champions crowned

Qualification criteria, formats and venues will be published to registered clubs ahead of entries opening, in line with FA youth guidelines and County FA sanctioning.

The first event

PROPOSED R¹ PILOT:R3 VOLUME 1.

This is what the first R3 event looks like on paper. Every unconfirmed detail is labelled. Nothing here is presented as booked, sanctioned or final until it is.

Your registration is a vote. The pilot goes ahead where demand is strongest: registering your club, and telling us your age groups and travel limits, directly decides where we will be hosting our first Essex-based event.

Vote for this event

Accuracy note: venue, dates, capacity, format, match guarantee and pricing shown here are proposed or indicative until confirmed in writing to registered clubs. The £2 spectator admission is the planned fee. The competition runs subject to County FA sanctioning.

VenueProposed
ESSEX VENUE
Subject to agreement
Date windowIndicative
Spring / early summer 2027
Age groupsIndicative
U8–U12
Demand-led, subject to sanctioning
Team capacityIndicative
20+ TEAMS PER AGE GROUP
FormatIndicative
Half-day or full-day by age group
Match guaranteeIndicative
MINIMUM SIX MATCHES PER TEAM
Team feeIndicative
£75–£120 by age group
Final pricing set with registered clubs
SpectatorsPlanned
£2 per spectator
Supports venues, officials and facilities

Your R¹ matchday

A sample schedule, built on promises.

An indicative half-day format, tap any moment to see the operational detail behind it. Final schedules are confirmed to entered clubs 14 days before each event.

  1. Clear joining information sent in advance: parking, pitch map and a digital team check-in so queues never build.

Four guarantees you can measure.

  • Fixtures 14 days ahead

    Groups, kick-off times and venue details published at least two weeks before every event.

  • Minimum match guarantee

    Every team plays a guaranteed minimum number of matches, set before entries open, honoured on the day.

  • Maximum planned gap

    A published cap on the longest wait between any team's matches. Schedules are built around it.

  • RESULTS WITHIN 24 HOURS

    Progression and qualification for R² confirmed in writing within 24 hours of the final whistle.

The exact match guarantee and maximum gap are published per event before entries open, set at levels operations can honour, then measured after every event.

Times shown are an indicative half-day schedule; full-day formats follow the same promises over a longer window.

The R3 Event Standard

Six commitments. Zero vagueness.

Every R3 event runs to a written, measurable standard, published before entries open and reviewed after the final whistle.

  • Fixtures 14 days ahead

    Groups, kick-off times and joining info published at least two weeks before every event.

  • Minimum match guarantee

    A guaranteed number of matches per team, published before entries open, honoured on the day.

  • Maximum planned gap

    A published cap on the longest wait between matches. No all-day waiting.

  • RESULTS WITHIN 24 HOURS

    Progression and R² qualification confirmed in writing within 24 hours.

  • Qualified officials

    Age-appropriate referees on every pitch, with safeguarding-compliant staffing.

  • One point of contact

    A named event lead and clear communication before, during and after the day.

Read the full Event Standard

Who's behind R3

Built by people who run grassroots football.

R3 Football is built by a team of passionate people from inside the grassroots game, building the tournament pathway they always wanted to enter. We understand how to run events and what makes them miss the mark. Our ambition is to deliver nothing but enjoyable, high-quality tournaments and events.

  • Tournament direction

    Run by organisers

    R3 is led by people who have planned and delivered grassroots tournaments, and who know exactly where the usual ones fall short: late fixtures, long gaps and silence after the final whistle.

  • Grassroots roots

    Built inside the game

    Coaches, club volunteers and football parents shape every decision, from half-day formats that respect family weekends to pricing set with clubs, not at them.

  • Accountability

    Named and answerable

    Every R3 event has a named lead and a written standard it's measured against. Full team profiles are published ahead of entries opening in 2027.

Partnerships

Power the pathway.

R³ Football is creating a national tournament journey from local pitches to the national stage. We're looking for a small group of launch partners who can help make every round exceptional for players, clubs and families.

  1. R¹Local Qualifiers

    Power R¹

    Local Impact

    Help deliver accessible, professionally organised football in local communities.

    Suitable for local businesses, venues, food and drink providers and community organisations.

  2. R²REGIONAL FINALS

    Elevate R²

    Regional Reach

    Support the bigger moments as qualifying teams compete across their region.

    Suitable for regional brands, travel partners, kit suppliers and media organisations.

  3. R³NATIONAL FINALS
    The finale

    Own the R³ stage

    National Visibility

    Help create a national final young players and their families will remember.

    Suitable for lead partners, national brands, technology businesses and broadcasters.

Partner categories currently open

  • Tournament partnerOpen
  • Kit and equipmentOpen
  • Technology and resultsOpen
  • Content and highlightsOpen
  • Hydration and nutritionOpen
  • Travel and accommodationOpen
  • Venues and facilitiesOpen
  • Awards and trophiesOpen

What partners get

More than logo placement

Partnership with R3 Football is built into the tournament experience itself, not bolted onto it.

  • Visibility across R¹, R² and R³
  • Access to an engaged football-family audience
  • Community impact
  • Branded content and matchday activations
  • Category exclusivity where appropriate
  • Association with a premium tournament experience

Launch partners

Become an R³ Launch Partner

Join the brands helping establish a new national pathway for grassroots football from its first season.

Partnership opportunities are subject to tournament sanctioning, final event plans and appropriate brand alignment.

Referees and officials

Qualified officials are central to the R3 Event Standard: match schedules published 14 days ahead, age-appropriate appointments and a named event lead on the day. We're building the panel now.

Join the officials panel

Age groups & pricing

U8 to U12. Formats that fit the age.

Indicative formats for 2027, aligned to FA youth guidelines. Final formats are confirmed with registered clubs before entries open, and every team gets a guaranteed minimum number of matches.

  • U8

    Format
    5v5
    Squad size
    Squad of 8
    Duration
    Half-day festival

  • U9

    Format
    7v7
    Squad size
    Squad of 10
    Duration
    Half-day festival

  • U10

    Format
    7v7
    Squad size
    Squad of 10
    Duration
    Half-day or full-day

  • U11

    Format
    9v9
    Squad size
    Squad of 12
    Duration
    Full-day tournament

  • U12

    Format
    9v9
    Squad size
    Squad of 12
    Duration
    Full-day tournament

Indicative entry: £75–£120 per team, by age group

The research range registered clubs are shaping now. Final per-event pricing is confirmed in writing before entries open, payable by secure online checkout, with nothing to pay until your club chooses to enter. Spectator admission at R3 events is planned at £2, supporting venues, officials and facilities.

All formats, squad sizes, durations and pricing are indicative and subject to County FA sanctioning and final confirmation to registered clubs.

Questions

Straight answers.

When does R3 launch?

R3 launches in 2027, with the proposed BTFC pilot targeted for spring / early summer 2027. Dates and venues are announced to registered clubs first, registering interest is how your club hears before anyone else.

Does registering interest cost anything?

No. Registration takes about 30 seconds, involves no payment and creates no obligation. Entry fees only exist once entries open, payable by secure online checkout, with pricing confirmed in writing beforehand.

How much will entry cost?

The indicative range is £75–£120 per team per event, depending on age group, being shaped with registered clubs now. Final pricing is published before entries open. Spectator admission is planned at £2, supporting venues, officials and facilities.

Where will events be held?

R¹ qualifiers run at quality venues near clusters of registered clubs, with the pilot taking place at Step 2 and 3 grounds in Essex. The R³ National Finals will be held at a prestigious professional stadium, which will be worthy of the quality of football on display. Venues are confirmed in writing before entries open.

Which age groups and formats?

U8 to U12, with indicative formats from 5v5 half-day festivals (U8) to 9v9 full-day tournaments (U11–U12), aligned to FA youth guidelines. Final formats are confirmed with registered clubs and subject to County FA sanctioning. We are also exploring the possibility of hosting both grassroots and academy level tournaments, subject to demand.

What makes R3 different from other tournaments?

We didn't create this just to be "another tournament". We have been to some incredible local tournaments, and some very poor ones. Our ambition is to turn R3 Football into a prestigious national football tournament and event that aspiring footballers are genuinely excited about playing in. Making this a multi-event tournament will also make the players feel as though they are a part of something bigger, with great playing opportunities.

Is the competition sanctioned?

R3 will run subject to County FA sanctioning and in line with FA regulations and youth guidelines. Safeguarding commitments are published on our safeguarding page.

Launching 2027

Your route to the national stage starts here.

Thirty seconds. No payment, no obligation, secure online entry payment arrives when entries open. Register now for priority access and put your region on the map.

Register club interest

30 seconds · No payment

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