Preparations for the 2019 BWCI Festival have begun and the Guernsey Football Association is delighted to announce that there will be twenty one teams participating over the weekend of 20^th and 21^st of July.

The 2019 Festival will be the 18^th staging of an event which has become the focal point of the junior inter insular football calendar. This summer the festival will take place at The Track and Victoria Avenue as Footes Lane is closed for refurbishment work. 

Festival Chairman, Martyn Banton, commented that; “We are delighted to have twenty one teams registered for the Festival this year and at this time I would also like to place on record the GFA’s gratitude to BWCI for this continued generous sponsorship. The 2019 Festival will be the 13^th consecutive year that BWCI have been the Festival’s headline sponsor, which is not only a great commitment on their behalf, but also illustrates how the reputation of the Festival continues to grow.” 

He added “It is clear that this fantastic reputation of the BWCI Festival ensures that this event continues to not only be a highlight of the Guernsey sporting calendar but also attracts interest from outside the Island, with the attendance of the Professional Academy teams highlighting the profile of the Festival. We are looking forward to again working with BWCI to deliver what we anticipate will be another fantastic football experience for hundreds of children and their families in July. The GFA recognises that this Festival is an important aspect of the football development of Guernsey’s young players.” 

BWCI Partner, Michelle Galpin said: “2019 is a very special year for the BWCI Group as it marks our 40^th anniversary in the Channel Islands. We are delighted to be able to support the festival again this year as it provides a great opportunity for local teams to get a taste of what it is like to play against some of the top UK academy teams and create some very special memories.” 

With entries for the Festival now confirmed as being 21, the 2019 Festival will continue in the same format as last year, which will involve two groups playing on a round-robin basis. The first group will have 11 teams and the second group will have 10 teams, with the top four from each group progressing to the Quarter-Finals of the BWCI Shield and the teams placed fifth to eighth progressing to the Plate quarter-finals. 

The full list of entries is: 

Bodyline St Martins

Braunton FC

Bristol City Academy

Everton Academy

Grouville Blues

Grouville Jsy

GFA Aztec Academy Lions

GFA Aztec Academy Tigers

Guernsey Rangers

Guernsey Rovers

Northerners AC

St Peter

St Martins AC

St Clement

St Pauls

St Lawrence

Sylvans

Trinity

Unsworth Junior Football Club

Vale Recreation Green

Vale Recreation Yellow 

For more updates about the 2019 BWCI Festival, please visit the BWCI Festival website; http://www.guernseyminisoccer.com/