The prestigious tournament will gather approximately 800 teams from 36 countries, with an estimated participation of nearly 15,000 footballers. The competition will extend beyond Alcalá de Henares, encompassing other municipalities in the Community of Madrid such as Torrejón de Ardoz, Coslada, San Fernando de Henares, Paracuellos de Jarama, Leganés, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Boadilla, Alcobendas, Las Rozas, and the capital itself, totaling 27 sports venues.
The Atlético de Madrid Sports City in Alcalá de Henares will be the epicenter of the event, which will also utilize other Complutense facilities like the Municipal Sports City of El Val, Felipe de Lucas «Pipe», Espartales, El Juncal, Isidro Cediel, and the University of Alcalá. Group stage matches commenced on Friday, June 19, for male categories (U7 to U19), female categories (U12 to U19), and inclusive categories.
This event, recognized as the largest international federated youth football tournament, is supported by the Community of Madrid, UN Tourism, the Atlético de Madrid Academy, and the Royal Football Federation of Madrid.
MADCUP FOOTBALL 2026 introduces technological innovations such as its streaming platform and the VAR (Video Assistant Referee) system from the RFEF. The tournament's celebration will culminate in a grand festival at the Riyadh Air Metropolitano stadium.
