THE Youth Football League (YFL) successfully concluded Next Cup 2026 over the Easter weekend with two days of action-packed competition showcasing some of Jamaica’s most promising young footballers across multiple age groups.

The tournament featured teams from across the island, including fromTrelawny, Manchester, Ocho Rios, Clarendon, Kingston and St Andrew, underlining its continued growth as a national grass roots competition.

Over the course of the event players competed across several age categories, delivering high-quality matches, strong individual performances, and closely contested finals.

Ballaz Academy emerged as the standout performers, capturing titles in the under-9, under-11 and under-13 divisions to secure the Overall Tournament Championship. Kingston United also impressed, fielding teams across five age groups and finishing among the top contenders in the overall standings.

The overall champion was determined using a points-based system designed to reward both participation and performance across divisions, with clubs earning points for participation, progression to the knockout stages, runner-up finishes, and titles. Ballaz Academy ultimately edged out Kingston United, thanks to their dominance across multiple categories.

The 2026 staging, the second edition of the Next Cup, continued its focus on development alongside competition. A key feature was the under-13 division being played in an 11 versus 11 format rather than 9 versus 9, giving younger players — many transitioning from the under-12 level — exposure to a higher standard of match play.

Tournament organiser Paula Pinnock said the approach was designed to better prepare players for the next stage of their development, noting that the experience helps build confidence as they move into high school football.

The under-15 division was among the most competitive, with Cavaliers finishing unbeaten over the two-day tournament. Ballaz Academy also completed a perfect run in the under-13 category while Kingston United capitalised in the under-14 division after early favourites Mile Gully failed to maintain their momentum.

Looking ahead, the YFL is exploring expansion of the Next Cup, including the possibility of inviting overseas teams as it seeks to further position Jamaica as a destination for youth football development. The use of the Easter weekend also forms part of a broader strategy to maximise holiday periods for sporting opportunities.

The YFL thanked its partners and sponsors including Kemtek — title sponsor across all YFL tournaments — ICWI as the official insurance partner, Pure Water Jamaica as hydration partner, and the Jamaica Football Federation which provided tournament endorsement and scouting support.

The league’s calendar continues with the Champions Cup on June 20, featuring the top four primary schools against the top four preparatory schools in a season-ending showcase. Plans are also underway to expand the Junior Cup into new regions, including Trelawny, as the organisation continues to grow grass roots football across the island.