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Banyoles will once again be the venue for the Pre-MICFootball, a competition that will take place on Tuesday, April 15th at the Camp d’Esports Municipal Vell.

This event will once again serve to warm up the engines of the 23rd edition of the MICFootball (MIC-Mediterranean International Cup) grassroots football tournament, which will be played in 43 municipalities in the Girona region between April 16th and 20th, coinciding with Easter. The Pre-MICFootball is a one-day tournament in which cadet category clubs (U15 and U16) from various countries will participate. They will coincide with the two host teams, Club Esportiu Banyoles and Atlètic Club Banyoles, who will repeat the experience of recent years. This 2025 will be joined by TSV Bayer Dormagen from Germany, BD FC from South Korea, Eastern FC from the United States and Wakatake from Japan.

Maite Colomer, director of MICFootball, states that “we are very happy to be able to collaborate for another edition with Banyoles, which years ago already had the initiative to offer the opportunity to play a small preliminary tournament to those teams that arrive with more days of margin and that need to compete before the MIC begins”. She adds that “it is a preliminary and positive competition for all parties, which only lasts one day and will feature the two host teams and others from all over the world”.

For Miquel Noguer, mayor of Banyoles, “the PreMIC is a stimulus for the players of our city and the entire region. We are very pleased to be able to enjoy it for another year because it gives a helping hand to a municipality like ours, which is further away from the coast and which, a priori, is more difficult to host MIC matches. It is a help for those teams that come from a long way away, that arrive earlier in our country and that have the need to train, play and compete”.

On Tuesday, April 15, from 4 pm, the matches of the first phase will begin, each lasting 25 minutes. The six participating teams will be divided into two groups. The first matches of the Pre-MICFootball will be Atlètic Banyoles-TSV Bayer Dormagen and CE Banyoles-Eastern FC. Once this phase is over, the top finishers in each group will face off in the final, scheduled for 7:15 p.m.

The 23rd edition of the international youth football tournament MICFootball (MIC-Mediterranean International Cup) will be the largest in history, with 444 teams playing 1,092 matches in 43 municipalities in the province of Girona. Riells i Viabrea, Jafre, and Palau-Saverdera are the venues joining in 2025.

The more than 8,000 players participating will be divided into nine age categories. More pitches than ever (59) will host the competition, which will take place from April 16 to 20, once again coinciding with Easter. This year’s MICFootball was presented in the Sessions Hall of the Girona Provincial Council in the presence of forward Cristian Stuani, footballer and captain of the Girona FC first team and sponsor of the tournament.

Miquel Noguer, president of the Girona Provincial Council, stated that “the MIC is a perfect combination that generates synergies between the event and our region. Beyond the great qualitative contribution to our tourism sector, it also makes the dreams of young footballers from our home teams, regardless of their age group, come true, allowing them to face the world’s biggest clubs.”

Stuani, MICFootball’s ambassador in Girona

One of this year’s sponsors is forward Cristian Stuani, who explained what it means for a footballer to play in a tournament with the characteristics of MICFootball. “It’s a pleasure, a privilege, and an honor to be part of this edition of the tournament. Being able to support an initiative like this, which has become a World Cup for youth categories, is spectacular. I put myself in the shoes of the boys and girls who will play in the MIC; their simplicity and passion for this sport remind me of when I was little. I was crazy about soccer, and the ball was my joy,” said the Uruguayan. He also looked back on his time as a player with the Montilivi club: “When I signed, I never imagined I would be able to experience such a journey or such wonderful things. I was very excited to join a club that still had so much to achieve. And it’s true that I’ve had options to leave, but I’ve always been happy and comfortable in a city that has welcomed me. The relationship with the club and with Girona has become a bond that’s hard to break, and I don’t regret having decided to stay here all this time.”

The presentation was also attended by the Spanish Government’s sub-delegate in Girona, Pere Parramon; the president and director of MICFootball, David Bellver and Maite Colomer; the territorial representative of Sport in Girona, Narcís Casassa; and the director of Institutions at CaixaBank in Girona, Gemma Batlle. Mayors and councilors from the municipalities that will host the championship, as well as sponsors and collaborators, also attended an event that served to announce all the details of this edition.

MICFootball will kick off its 23rd edition next Wednesday, April 16th with an opening ceremony that will take place at the Vilatenim Stadium (Figueres).

The moment you are waiting for is just around the corner. Next Wednesday, April 16th, MICFootball 2025 will begin with the opening ceremony, which will once again take place at the Vilatenim Stadium in Figueres.

At 10:30am, the opening day will begin with the ball as the main protagonist. FC Barcelona and Arsenal FC in the U16 category will play a friendly match. The match can be followed on Televisió de Catalunya and on MICFootball TV.

At the end of this first match, the traditional flag parade will begin (11:30am), which this year will have 44 countries represented and 444 teams, a record number of participants in the tournament. Immediately afterwards, the Dance Me group of dancers will give a special welcome on the pitch with a performance that promises to be spectacular.

At the end of the opening ceremony, the teams will return to their hotels to have lunch, rest and prepare for their respective first MICFootball matches, which will be played on Wednesday, April 16 in the afternoon. This will be the starting shot for the group stage.

Access to the stadium

All teams participating in MICFootball 2025, whether or not they are staying with the organization, have guaranteed access to the Stadium as long as they have confirmed their decision to attend to the event. The rest of the public will have to wait for the availability of capacity to access it.

FC Barcelona player Dani Olmo was the honored ambassador during the MICFootball presentation event held this Tuesday at CosmoCaixa.

Olmo recalled his experience at MICFootball, a tournament he played three times (2010, 2012, and 2014)… and which he wasn’t fortunate enough to win.

“The best memory isn’t the photo with the trophy because I didn’t win any. But the U12 final in Palamós against Atlético was special. I scored a goal, but we lost 4-2. The experience leaves a lasting mark on you. These are the tournaments everyone wants to play in, participate in, and win. These are tournaments you pay attention to when you’re young. And it’s an experience that leaves a lasting mark on you.”

MICFootball continues its commitment to innovation and accessibility in youth football with a new strategic agreement with E+, which becomes the official Media Partner of the tournament. Thanks to this alliance, some sports facilities in the province of Girona where MICFootball is played will be digitized with automated Artificial Intelligence (AI) cameras, allowing live broadcast of the matches through MICFootball TV, an exclusive space within the E+ platform, managed by ATM MEDIA.

In total, 10 cameras will be installed at different tournament venues, including Lloret de Mar, Sant Feliu de Guíxols – Vilartagues, Vidreres, Roses, Caldes de Malavella, Begur, Pals, L’Escala and Torroella de Montgrí. This digital transformation ensures that all matches played in these fields can be followed live, reinforcing MICFootball’s position as a benchmark in the digitization of grassroots football.

The tournament will have an exclusive channel on E+, the leading platform for broadcasting semi-professional and amateur sports, called MICFootball TV, which will allow players, coaches, families and fans to enjoy every moment of the competition from anywhere in the world and for free.

Another aspect that MICFootball seeks to enhance with the digitalization of its tournament is the sporting legacy of grassroots football, especially local and regional sports. This transformation not only improves the accessibility and visibility of the tournament globally, but also helps to promote the dissemination and recognition of the municipalities of Girona.

According to Maite Colomer, director of MICFootball, “the commitment we make has a clear long-term objective: to be able to offer the more than 1,000 matches of the tournament live. With MICFootball TV we will be able to increase the loyalty of our users, grouping all the broadcasts on a single channel. We firmly believe in digitalization to continue to believe strongly in digitalization”.

According to Matteo Samaranch, Business Director of ATM MEDIA, “this agreement propels MIC into the future, thanks to the integration of Artificial Intelligence in sports broadcasting. We are excited to collaborate with MICFootball to offer an unparalleled viewing experience, benefiting players, coaches, families and fans.”

This agreement reinforces MICFootball’s vision to continue being one of the best grassroots football tournaments in the world. In addition to ensuring comprehensive coverage of the event, its digitalization will boost the development of football talent and provide greater visibility for young players. With this alliance, MICFootball reaffirms its commitment to innovation and excellence in the organization of grassroots football tournaments.

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On March 10, the draw for the Group Phase of MICFootball 2025 took place. The streaming, which is available through the tournament’s YouTube channel, is breaking audience records with more than 21,000 views and a total of 2,100 simultaneous users.

The 444 participating teams will join their rivals in the Group Phase that will begin on April 16.

Consult the groups of the different categories:

U19

U18

U16

F16

U15

U14

U13

U12A

U12B

The official ball with which MICFootball will be played on the Costa Brava has been confirmed.

It will be the third edition of MICFootball that will feature a PUMA ball, consolidating a link that was born in 2023 between the sportswear brand and the largest grassroots football tournament in the world.

ORBITA 5 FUSION: an innovative design inspired by the Costa Brava

If the 2023 and 2024 editions, the MICFootball ball was dyed yellow to represent the typical sun of Catalonia, this 2025 the ball has changed its focus. PUMA has chosen a dark blue to remind us of the Mediterranean Sea, as characteristic for the tournament as for the Costa Brava.

The PUMA ORBITA 5 FUSION ball stands out for its qualities during the game. It has been designed to ensure durability, shape consistency and reduced water absorption. All this is made possible by an innovative hybrid lacing method. With 32 identical surface panels and a multi-foam backing exterior, the PUMA ORBITA 5 FUSION is a ball that ensures a soft, powerful touch and excellent flight characteristics.

But the color and design are not the only novelties of the 2025 edition ball. The PUMA ORBITA 5 FUSION will be the first PUMA customized ball of the tournament. Featuring one of its 32 panels, the MICFootball logo will ensure a truly professional experience.

The new PUMA ORBITA 5 FUSION ball is just around the corner on the Costa Brava. Are you ready to play?

#DreamsAreReal

The MICFootball 2025 competition system will have specific features for each of the nine categories. Each group will consist of 4 teams and, depending on the number of teams in each category, the criteria for qualifying for the next round may be modified.

BRACKETS FOR EACH CATEGORY

In a new milestone, MICFootball exceeds its participation record for second year in a row. There will be 444 teams that will take part in the 23rd edition.

During Holy Week, MICFootball will once again open its doors to more than 8,000 players who will give everything to be crowned on the Costa Brava. From Wednesday, April 16, the first whistle will sound and more than 1,000 games will be played between 444 teams belonging to 9 different categories. Breaking records for teams and matches, MICFootball is preparing for the most crowded edition in its history.

It will be a true grassroots soccer world cup with luxury teams from the world’s main leagues. From the Primera División de España, 13 of the current 20 teams will be present, including FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atlético de Madrid, Athletic Bilbao, Real Sociedad, Villareal CF, Girona FC, Real Betis Balompié, Sevilla FC, Deportivo Alavés, Valencia CF and RCD Mallorca.

The international squad will also be top-notch: it will welcome important teams from the Premier League, such as Liverpool FC, Manchester United, Arsenal FC, Newcastle United and Crystal Palace FC, among others. From other corners of Europe, the German FC Bayern Munich, the Dutch Ajax FC and PSV, the French PSG, Olympique de Marseille and Olympique Lyonnais, the Portuguese FC Porto and Sporting de Braga and the Italian Juventus will participate.

View all confirmed teams here.

MICFootball 2025 has announced sold out for its 23rd edition. After several months of work, the tournament will once again bring the best youth football to the Costa Brava.

The younger age categories will have 28 teams (U12A) and 48 teams (U12B) respectively. The children’s category will have 52 teams (U13) and 72 teams (U14). In the cadet age group the figures are as follows: 56 teams in the U15 and 76 in the U16, which will once again be the category with the most teams. The youth categories will be made up of 56 teams (U18) and 44 (U19). Finally, the F16 women’s category will be competed by a total of 12 teams.

With all places for the 23rd edition sold out, participants have already started the countdown to the group stage draw, which will be broadcast live on the MICFootball YouTube channel next Monday, March 10. Once the teams know their rivals, it will be time to finalize all the preparations for an exciting week of football.

Places available in Punta Cana

While the MICFootball event on the Costa Brava is already sold out, the second venue in Punta Cana still has places available for the first edition, which will take place from June 24 to 29. You can find more information and register at micfootballpuntacana.com.