Dubai Intercontinental Cup 2026 set to be biggest yet

Dubai will host the ninth edition of the Under-13 Intercontinental Cup, welcoming elite youth academy teams from some of the world’s most renowned football clubs to the region.

Organised with the support of the Dubai Sports Council, the tournament will take place from February 12 to 15 and is set to be the largest edition yet, featuring 32 teams from around the world.

The U13 Intercontinental Cup is an annual international youth football tournament held in Dubai. It brings together elite youth academy teams from some of the world’s top clubs, giving players under the age of 13 a competitive platform to showcase their talent against players from different countries and footballing cultures.

Over the years, the tournament has grown in prestige, attracting academies from clubs like Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and others.

The official press conference, held on Wednesday at Emirates Towers, was attended by His Excellency Khalfan Juma Belhoul, Vice Chairman of the Dubai Sports Council, alongside ex Real Madrid footballer Michel Salgado and current Real Madrid Director of Football, Santigo Solari.

Khalfan Juma Belhoul welcomed the participants and expressed his happiness with the return of the event.

“The ninth edition of the Intercontinental Cup is something which I have been excited about for months,” said His Excellency.

“To have 32 teams competing from all around the world and creating a tournament where different cultures can come together is something truly remarkable.”

Salgado’s connection to the Intercontinental Cup comes from his lasting involvement in youth football development in the UAE and his early role in the tournament’s founding and promotion.

After retiring from professional football, Salgado settled in Dubai and became deeply involved in local football programmes, notably as the director of the football academy at the Spanish Soccer School in Dubai Sports City.

In that capacity, he helped launch editions of the Dubai Intercontinental Football Cup, working with organisers and promoting the event as a way to challenge and develop young talent by bringing top youth teams from around the world to compete.

Salgado discussed his love for Dubai since relocating to the city and his ambitions for the ninth edition of the Intercontinental Cup.

He said: “Dubai is the best city in the world, I’m Spanish but Dubai is my city and I view the UAE as my country. The growth of football in the region is something which I’m incredible proud of and this football tournament is a huge part of that.

“I want people to notice Dubai as one of the best footballing cities and having a tournament where the best teams in Europe come to compete is a great step in that direction. The Intercontinental Cup is more than just a football tournament because it brings kids from all over the world together and they experience they can take from this is huge.

“It’s important to me that the spotlight isn’t only on the big international clubs that come to compete, but also on the Dubai-based football teams participating in the tournament. Seeing more football academies being established in Dubai is fantastic, and this competition provides them with a platform to succeed while inspiring more children to take up the sport.”

Real Madrid hold the record for the most Intercontinental Cup wins and are known for producing some of the best players in the world through their prestigious academy.

Solari, Madrid’s Director of Football, takes great pride in his work with the club’s academy and believes the tournament provides a unique and valuable experience for the club’s young players each year.

“Sorry to bring this up, but Real Madrid have the most wins with three in the Intercontinental Cup,” joked Solari.

“Each year I wait for the invitation to this competition and I know for sure our kids love playing here, it’s something different for them.

“As one of the best clubs in the world, we’re used to having top young players, and our academy teams often dominate the competitions they play in Spain. Coming here, presents them with an entirely different challenge, and that’s something I really value.

“Only a small percentage of kids go on to become a professional footballer, so along the way it’s important to offer them with the best experiences possible, experiences they will remember for the rest of their lives and bringing them her to Dubai will help achieve this.”