Football cup boost following £6m pitch investment

More than 400 youth teams and over 12,500 people attended the Blackpool Cup tournaments earlier this year

A new five-year deal has been agreed for the Blackpool Cup which attracts football teams from across Europe to the town.

The event is just one of the successes following recent multi-million pound investment in council-run sports facilities.

The £6m Common Edge Community Sports Village, which hosts the cup, opened in July 2023 as part of development at the Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone and boasts 14 grass football pitches.

There is also a full-sized 3G football pitch, sports pavilion with changing rooms and community space, along with a grass rugby pitch and training area.

The £6m Common Edge Community Sports Village opened in July 2023

Martin Cardwell, operations manager for Blackpool Council leisure services, said since launching there had been 90,000 visits to the Common Edge facilities, which are also used by Blackpool Football Club's under-21 academy squad.

He told a meeting of the council's tourism, economy and communities scrutiny committee: "There is another five-year deal in place now for the Blackpool Cup, with three tournaments per year from 2026.

"It is a great event which is helping bookings at hotels etc. There are also lots of local grass-roots teams using the football pitches and a huge increase in female football.

"Having Blackpool Football Club use our facilities at Common Edge as part of their under-21 academy is also fantastic. They use it four days a week."

More than 400 youth teams and over 12,500 people attended the Blackpool Cup tournaments held at the Common Edge Community Sports Village during Easter and May Day bank holiday weekends this year.

Mr Cardwell added parking issues at the site would also be resolved with a 41-space overflow car park due to open on the weekend of 12 and 13 October, adding to the existing 194-space car park.