Congratulations to the Leeds Care Leavers football team who are celebrating after winning the Premier Care Cup 2026. Started in 2022 by the Leeds Care Leaver Service in partnership with Powerleague, the tournament has grown year-on-year and is one of longest-running care leaver football tournaments in England, with more local authorities joining each year. The competition gives care-experienced young people the opportunity to showcase their talent and raise awareness of the strengths of the care-experienced community through sport. In the tournament, Leeds overcame defending champions Bradford in the semi-final before defeating national champions Derbyshire 1-0 in a tense final.
Just one week before the tournament, there was barely a team, no coach available, and even the brand-new kit was still missing on the morning of the competition!
Fast forward a few hours and Leeds were lifting the Premier Care Cup trophy after a 1–0 victory over Derbyshire in the final, the national champions.
This team showed exactly what can happen when people come together. Players who had barely played together a week earlier became a team.
Young people who may have faced significant challenges found themselves representing Leeds, supporting one another and ultimately becoming Premier Care Cup Champions.
A huge congratulations to Mangi, Alpha, Ibrahim, Josh, Kacper, Adam, Omran, Sol and Ali and special recognition to Omran, who was named Leeds’ Man of the Tournament at just 17.
