How it works

R3 STARTS IN ESSEX, WITH AN EAST OF ENGLAND FINAL.

R¹ begins in Essex, leading into the R² East of England Regional Final in 2027. What we learn will shape the National R³ tournament planned for 2028.

Essex Tournament

The first 2027 competition is planned for Essex within the July and August 2027 window.
Graded groups keep matches competitive for every team, aimed at higher level teams.
Half-day and full-day formats by age group, with a published schedule 14 days ahead.
Every team gets a guaranteed minimum number of matches.

East of England Regional Final

Qualifying teams from the R¹ Essex tournament progress to the East of England Regional Final.
Teams from neighbouring counties may also enter, subject to demand and the necessary sanctioning.
A step up in standard, and in occasion, without losing the organised, family-friendly feel.
Delivery and results are reviewed before the pathway expands to R³.

R³ Tournament

A 2028 tournament built from what the Essex pilot proves in competition and operations.
The ambition remains a memorable stage worthy of the teams that qualify.
Location, scale and qualification route will be developed after the 2027 review.

Formats, qualification criteria and venues are confirmed to registered clubs before entries open. The competition runs subject to County FA sanctioning and in line with FA youth guidelines.

The first event

2027 R3 FORMAT: ESSEX FIRST, REGIONALS NEXT.

The first R3 pathway is being planned around a window of five Sundays in June and July 2027. Exact dates remain to be confirmed.

Registrations will help determine which age groups run on each Sunday and how the Essex R¹ tournament progresses into the R² East of England Regional Final.

BTFC is our 2027 launch venue. Venue use, exact dates, capacity and formats are not final until confirmed in writing. The competition remains subject to agreement and County FA sanctioning.

VenueConfirmed: BRENTWOOD TOWN FC; Subject to agreement
Date windowProposed: FIVE SUNDAYS, JUNE/JULY 2027
Age groupsProposed: U8–U11; Demand-led, subject to sanctioning
Team capacityMinimum: 20+ TEAMS PER AGE GROUP
FormatProposed: Half-day or full-day by age group
Match guaranteeConfirmed: MINIMUM SIX MATCHES PER TEAM
Team feeConfirmed: £75–£105 BY AGE GROUP; Final pricing set with registered clubs
SpectatorsPlanned: £2.50 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.

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.