The 2025 edition of the Kanga Cup has switched to the second week of the school holidays, shifting from its usual place in the first week, and will take place from Monday 14 July to Friday 18 July in Canberra, ACT.
For what will be the 33rd edition of the largest Youth football tournament in the Southern Hemisphere, the decision to move weeks was at the behest of the ACT Government with the first week of July seeing the arrival of the British & Irish Lions rugby union team to the Capital City.
The legendary rugby union side return to these shores for the first time since 2013 and will play the Brumbies in Canberra on Wednesday 9 July at GIO Stadium putting a premium on hotel spaces in the region.
“Following discussions with the ACT Government, we have moved the dates of the Kanga Cup to the second week in July in order to not clash with the Lions fixture that will be played early in the month,” Capital Football CEO Samantha Farrow commented.
“The Kanga Cup tournament deserves its own standalone slot, and the arrival of the Lions means that accommodation will be severely restricted, limiting the number of teams who would be able to find sufficient rooms at a reasonable rate during this period.
“Therefore, the movement of the dates was the logical conclusion.”
The 2024 Kanga Cup attracted 355 teams to the National Capital, with matches played across Canberra, and even over the border as the new Regional Sports Complex in Jerrabomberra played host to fixtures. The tournament is likely to attract a similar number of teams once more.
Another change will see the Opening Ceremony, featuring the traditional march past, rested for the 2025 edition, low turnout of numbers in the preceding years meaning that the Tournament Committee will now highlight smaller Opening Ceremony events at key locations prior to kick-off on Day One.
“The decision to move the Opening Ceremony from one large event to several smaller ones, was not taken lightly,” Farrow said. “However, with many teams unable to make the dedicated Ceremony over the past two years, and the coordination and cost of hosting this event growing, we have decided that this is the best course of action.
“Understandably, we know that some players and officials will be disappointed by this change in the Kanga Cup experience, but we are working hard to make sure that the 2025 competition is as memorable as ever.”
For teams wishing to compete in the 2025 Kanga Cup, more details on the registration process will be released in due course.
The 2025 Kanga Cup will take place in Canberra, ACT from 14-18 July.
