East of England, 2027. Essex R¹ leads to the R² East of England Regional Final, with R³ planned for 2028.

Football

East of England pathway · Essex launch 2027

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

R3 Football begins in Essex in 2027 for mid to high-level grassroots youth teams. R¹ is the first Essex tournament, followed by the R² East of England Regional Final, which may welcome teams from neighbouring counties. Once the pilot is tested and proven, the pathway builds towards R³ in 2028.

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

The R3 pathway

  1. Essex Tournament

    The first competitive tournament in Essex, across the 2027 summer window.

  2. East of England Regional Final

    Qualifying teams meet invited clubs from neighbouring counties at the second stage.

  3. 2028 Tournament

    The R³ ambition follows once the pilot structure and format are proven.

The 2027 Essex programme is subject to venue agreement and County FA sanctioning. R³ is a 2028 ambition.

The pathway

Start in Essex. Rise across the region. Build R³.

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

  1. Essex Tournament

    The first R3 competition, planned for Essex across a five-Sunday summer window at Brentwood Town FC's stadium.

    Travel expectation
    2027: Brentwood Town FC
    Qualification result
    Top teams qualify for R²

  2. East of England Regional Final

    Qualifying teams from R1 progress to a prestigious R2 regional stage, with entry also open to neighbouring counties subject to sanctioning.

    Travel expectation
    2027: East of England venue
    Qualification result
    Format reviewed before R³

  3. R³ Tournament

    The 2028 ambition, developed after the Essex pilot has tested the structure, format and delivery standard.

    Travel expectation
    2028: location to be developed
    Qualification result
    Next stage of the pathway

Qualification criteria, formats, dates and venues will be published before entries open. The 2027 competition remains subject to agreement, FA youth guidelines and County FA sanctioning.

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.

Register for Essex updates

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.

  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 building a tournament pathway from Essex R¹ to the East of England R² Regional Final in 2027. We're looking for launch partners who can help prove the format and build towards R³ in 2028.

  1. R¹ESSEX TOURNAMENT

    Power R¹

    Local Impact

    Help deliver the first professionally organised R3 competition in Essex.

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

  2. R²ESSEX REGIONAL FINAL

    Elevate R²

    Regional Reach

    Support the second 2027 stage as qualifying teams compete for the Essex title.

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

  3. R³2028 TOURNAMENT
    The finale

    Build the R³ stage

    Future Reach

    Help turn a proven Essex format into a memorable R³ tournament in 2028.

    Suitable for lead partners, regional 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 launch the Essex pilot and build the wider East of England pathway.

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 U11. 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
    7V7
    Squad size
    Squad of 12
    Duration
    Full-day tournament

INDICATIVE ENTRY: £75–£105 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 begins in Essex in 2027. We are planning around five Sundays across July and August, with exact dates announced once venue arrangements and County FA sanctioning are in place. R³ is the 2028 ambition after the pilot format is proven.

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?

The 2027 R¹ tournament will be Essex based. R² will be the East of England Regional Final, with a venue selected to support qualifying Essex teams and potential entries from neighbouring counties. BTFC is being considered as a potential launch venue within a five-Sunday July and August window. No venue is final until agreed and confirmed in writing.

Which age groups and formats?

U8 to U11, with indicative formats from 5v5 half-day festivals (U8) to 9v9 full-day tournaments (U11), 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.

Is this for grassroots or academy teams?

Both. Depending on the volume of interest from each community, our aim is to run concurrent grassroots and academy tournaments, so every team competes at the right level. We will endeavour to make sure games are competitive and fun.

What makes R3 different from other tournaments?

We didn't create this just to be "another tournament". R¹ lets us begin in Essex before R² raises the level at the East of England Regional Final. That evidence will shape the R³ tournament ambition for 2028.

Is the competition sanctioned?

The 2027 programme will run only with the necessary County FA sanctioning and in line with FA regulations and youth guidelines. Entry to the R² East of England Regional Final from neighbouring counties remains subject to the relevant approvals.

Essex pathway · 2027

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