Image credit: Melbourne City FC
The fifth edition of the Macca’s City Cup, brought to the community by McDonald’s Victoria and Melbourne City FC, will unite thousands of players, supporters and coaches from across Victoria later this month.
Participation at an all-time high
Last year, the 2025 Macca’s City Cup was a resounding success for all players and participants involved.
Over a mere three days of action, the tournament saw 370 teams compete, bringing together over 4000 participants across 903 total games played. In fact, it became the biggest junior tournament in Australia.
Although these numbers are hugely impressive and prove that youth football participation is stronger than ever before, this year promises to go one step beyond.
With 384 teams registered, players and supporters alike can expect to see plenty of action and talent on display when the competition kicks off on Friday 27 March.
The chance to play and perform
The Macca’s City Cup is a shining display what truly matters when it comes to the grassroots game: encouragement, participation and competition. We spoke to Director of Australian Football Skool, Rolando Navas, about the tournament’s popularity and importance for young footballers in Victoria.
“We’ve been overwhelmed by the amount of teams that have registered this year,” said Director of Australian Football Skool, Rolando Navas.
“For this year, there will be 388 teams that we’ll admit into the competition. That equates to about over 5000 players,”
“We make an effort to make sure there are as many competitive games as possible, across all age groups. One of the really positive things I’ve seen is the number of girls teams that have joined this year – it’s been incredible.”
Combined community effort
Kids of all ages – boys and girls – will be arriving in their thousands for the biggest pre-season tournament in the state. The sheer number of participating teams is testament to AFS’ commitment to providing a supportive sporting environment year after year, as well as to the continued support from McDonald’s Victoria, Melbourne City FC and the City of Casey.
“We’re obviously using three venues this year: Casey Fields, Inez Hunter Reserve and Ramlegh Reserve,” Navas continued.
“They’re amazing fields and, without [the City of Casey], we wouldn’t be able to host such an event.”
It is thanks to the combined dedication of the organisers and partners that young footballers in Victoria will have the chance to showcase their ability once again and, most importantly, enjoy the sport they love the most.
