Last updated : Tuesday, 04 March 2025
The AFC Dunstable Summer Tournament returns for its 11th year on June 7-8, 2025, offering a premier grass roots football experience for both boys and girls. This highly anticipated event, hosted by one of Bedfordshire's most progressive football clubs, has become a fixture in the youth football calendar after facing cancellations during COVID years.
The tournament provides competitive matches for various age groups in a well-organized format that showcases young talent across the region. AFC Dunstable has built a reputation for delivering a quality tournament experience with excellent facilities and organization.
Registration typically fills quickly, with teams eager to participate in what has become one of the area's most respected youth football competitions. The club's commitment to youth development is evident in this annual event that brings together young players in a celebration of grassroots football.
History
The AFC Dunstable Summer Tournament has become a staple event in the local football community. The tournament brings together youth teams from various age groups to compete in a friendly yet competitive environment.
Recently, the tournament returned to AFC Dunstable with great success. The event featured multiple age categories, demonstrating its inclusive approach to youth football development.
Results from recent tournaments show diverse winners across age groups. The U15s event was won by Cockfosters, who defeated Leighton Town 2-1 in a competitive final.
Sunday competitions saw Flitwick Eagles dominating their category. Other recent tournament winners include:
- Under 9: Luton All Stars
- Under 10: Flitwick Eagles
- Under 11: Rap-Aid
- Under 12: Redbridge
- Under 13: Luton All Stars
The tournament embodies AFC Dunstable's community values. As a club, AFC Dunstable emphasizes respect as a core value, which is reflected in how the tournament is organized and conducted.
The event has grown in popularity over the years, as evidenced by visitor statistics. Teams from various regions participate, including AFC Croydon Athletic, AFC Rushden & Diamonds, and Anstey Nomads.
The tournament continues to provide valuable competitive opportunities for youth players while strengthening community bonds through sport.
Age Groups and Divisions
The AFC Dunstable Summer Tournament offers a wide range of age groups for youth football teams. Based on recent tournament information, the competition includes divisions for both boys and girls across multiple age categories.
For boys, the tournament includes U8, U9, U10, U11, and U13 age groups. The girls' competition features U12, U13, and U15 divisions, providing opportunities for female players of various ages to participate.
Many of these divisions are extremely popular. According to recent updates, several age groups including U9 Boys, U11 Boys, U13 Boys, U12 Girls, U13 Girls, and U15 Girls have completely sold out for upcoming tournaments.
The U10 boys division typically has high participation but may have limited spots available, with recent information showing just one place remaining. Similarly, the U8 Boys division had only three places left in a recent registration update.
The tournament structure accommodates 118 teams across all divisions, making it a substantial youth football event in the region. Teams are typically organized into groups during the early stages of the competition before advancing to knockout rounds.
Registration for the tournament usually opens months in advance, with the summer event taking place in June and July each year. The specific weekend of July 19-20 has been used for recent tournaments.
Committee/Staff/Contacts
AFC Dunstable's tournament organization is managed by dedicated committee members who oversee various aspects of club events. Tony serves as the Committee Member & Tournaments coordinator and can be reached at tony@afcdunstable.co.uk or tournament@afcdunstable.co.uk for all tournament-related inquiries.
Jacqui Dunnell leads the hospitality efforts and manages catering and refreshment services during tournaments. She can be contacted directly at hospitality@afcdunstable.co.uk.
For tournament registration information, participants can use the online registration system or contact Tony directly. The club maintains active communication channels through their social media accounts, including X (formerly Twitter) @AFCDunstable.
AFC Dunstable prides itself on being Bedfordshire's most progressive football club. The organization currently runs 34 teams ranging from an Early Years Academy through to the First Team.
Key Contacts:
- Tournament Coordinator: Tony (tony@afcdunstable.co.uk)
- Tournament Email: tournament@afcdunstable.co.uk
- Hospitality Lead: Jacqui Dunnell (hospitality@afcdunstable.co.uk)
The committee works diligently to ensure tournaments run smoothly, providing a positive experience for all participants. They coordinate everything from team registrations to match scheduling and venue management.
Teams
The AFC Dunstable Summer Tournament attracts numerous teams from across Bedfordshire and neighboring regions. According to available information, the tournament hosts approximately 118 teams across different age divisions.
Recent winners of the tournament include:
- Under 9: Luton All Stars
- Under 10: Flitwick Eagles
- Under 11: Rap-Aid
- Under 12: Redbridge
- Under 13: Luton All Stars
Participating clubs often include AFC Dunstable's own youth teams, such as AFC Dunstable Blues. Other local teams like Warden AFC Avengers and Leighton Park Rangers Tigers have also competed in recent editions.
The tournament caters to both boys and girls teams, reflecting AFC Dunstable's reputation as "Bedfordshire's most progressive football club" with youth opportunities for players of all genders.
Tournament spaces typically fill quickly, with organizers encouraging early registration. This popularity demonstrates the event's strong reputation in youth football circles.
After a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19 restrictions, the tournament has successfully returned to the football calendar. Recent match days have featured games scheduled throughout the day, typically starting from 10:00 AM.
Players
AFC Dunstable Summer Tournament features numerous youth players across different age groups. For youth leagues, players' names are no longer publicly displayed in accordance with privacy and safeguarding policies.
The tournament organizes participants into various groups and divisions. For example, the Under 9 Boys Sunday competition is structured with multiple groups, including Group 2 as mentioned in the search results.
Teams like AFC Dunstable Blues and MK Athletic Titans compete against each other in scheduled matches. In one recorded match, AFC Dunstable Blues secured a 1-0 victory against MK Athletic Titans.
Player development is a key focus at AFC Dunstable. The club currently operates 34 teams ranging from an Early Years Academy through to the First Team, providing development opportunities for players of all ages and abilities.
As a community club, AFC Dunstable instills respect as a core value among its players. This philosophy extends to the Summer Tournament, where participants are expected to uphold these values during competition.
The tournament serves as an excellent platform for young players to gain valuable match experience and showcase their skills in a competitive yet supportive environment.
