ESFA National Finals, featured, National Competitions

ESFA open National Competition entries for the 2022/23 Season

The English Schools’ Football Association have opened entries for their National Schools’ Cup Competitions for the 2022/23 season!

The ESFA’s ever growing portfolio of competitions attract over 16,000 teams to enter each season and cover all age groups from U11-U18. National Competitions are at the very heart of what the ESFA has to offer, in creating thousands of opportunities for children to play grassroots football at a National level. Each season culminates with a period of National Finals, in which finalists travel to various prestigious football stadia across England to compete to be crowned champions of England in their respective competitions. 

ESFA Chair Stuart Botham said: In the 2022/23 season, we have the chance to make schools’ football a memorable experience for everyone involved in a safe and inclusive environment, that provides National Competitions for all schools and for children of all ages and abilities. 

If your school has previously been involved in our National Cup Competitions, I know you will recognise their value and be keen to enter again this season. If you are considering entering for the first time, you have the opportunity to give your players the unique and special experience created by the English Schools’ FA and showcased through the continual provision and improvement of their fantastic competition portfolio. 

Click below to download the ESFA’s Competitions PDF brochure which lists all of the competitions the ESFA offers, eligibility criteria and information on how to register your teams.

Go to https://www.esfa.co.uk/schools to register your teams!

Make sure you are quick though, the entry deadline for all National Competitions is Saturday 23rd July so make sure you get your entries in and join the 16,000+ teams taking part!

ESFA National Finals

PlayStation F.C. Schools’ Cup – National Final Roundup 2022

The 9th ESFA PlayStation F.C. Schools’ Cup National Finals took place from the 23rd – 26h May at West Bromwich Albion FC, crowning 20 National Champions across the four days.

The PlayStation F.C. Schools’ Cup Finals, attended by over 3,000 spectators, created a fantastic opportunity for hundreds of U12 – U15 players to step out onto the hallowed turf of The Hawthorns in a bid to become National Champions in their respective competitions. The PlayStation F.C. Schools’ Cup covers 20 competitions, providing Schools’ Cup, Small Schools’ Cup, Elite Cup, B Team Cup and Girls’ Cup competitions at the five U12 – U15 age groups.

This season’s Finals Festival proved to be a winning return to West Bromwich Albion, with full coverage of all 20 matches, an in-house MC to entertain the crowds and special guest appearances from professional players, gamers, content creators and freestyle footballers adding to the atmosphere across the four days.

The event also saw the inaugural PlayStation F.C. Schools’ Cup FIFA 22 Championship Finals take place on Wednesday 25th May. Hosted by The FIFA Analyst, the event was the culmination of 32 schools running knockout tournaments earlier in the season. The winner, Jack Shepherd from Bilton School in Warwickshire had a fantastic day and even enjoyed some time on the pitch being interviewed in front of the crowd, by the event MC.

The coverage of the PlayStation F.C. Schools’ Cup Finals has been viewed a staggering,100,000 times on the ESFA’s YouTube Channel, ESFA TV – if you haven’t already seen the fantastic skill on show – head over and check it out.

National Champions – Fixture Results 2022

Please find below a rundown of the 20 PlayStation F.C. Schools’ Cup Finals from the Hawthorns Stadium:

Monday 23rd May 2022

U12 9v9 PlayStation F.C. B Team Schools’ Cup Final
Kingsdale Foundation School (South London) 2 – 0 Cardinal Heenan CHS (Liverpool)

U12 9v9 PlayStation F.C. Schools’ Cup Final
Thomas Telford School (Shropshire) 4 – 0 Shenfield High School (Essex)

U12 9v9 PlayStation F.C. Schools’ Cup Final for Girls
Thorpe St Andrew School (Norwich) 1 – 7 Shenfield High School (Essex)

U12 9v9 PlayStation F.C. Small Schools’ Cup Final
St John’s Prep & Senior School (Greater London) 5 – 1 Wetherby High School (Leeds)

U12 9v9 PlayStation F.C. Elite Schools’ Cup Final
Northampton School for Boys (Northamptonshire) 3 – 1 St Bede’s RC School (Durham)

Tuesday 24th May 2022

U13 9v9 PlayStation F.C. Schools’ Cup Final for Girls
South Hunsley School (Yorkshire) 1 – 5 Surbiton High School (Surrey)

U13 PlayStation F.C. Elite Schools’ Cup Final
South Hunsley School (Yorkshire) 4 – 3 Whitgift School (Surrey)

U15 PlayStation F.C. Schools’ Cup Final for Girls
Eggbuckland Community College (Devon) 1 – 2 South Hunsley School (Yorkshire)

U13 PlayStation F.C. Schools’ Cup Final
Chesterfield High School (Merseyside) 1 – 1 Hampton School (Greater London)
Chesterfield High School 3 – 5 Hampton School (penalties)

U15 PlayStation F.C. Schools’ Cup Final
Formby High School (Merseyside) 2 – 1 Kingsdale Foundation School (South London)

Wednesday 25th May 2022

U15 PlayStation F.C. Schools’ Cup Final for B Teams
Glyn School (Greater London) 0 – 2 Wright Robinson College (Manchester)

U14 PlayStation F.C. Schools’ Cup Final for Girls
Wright Robinson College (Manchester) 0 – 5 Surbiton High School (Surrey)

U13 PlayStation F.C. Schools’ Cup Final for B Teams
Wright Robinson College (Manchester) 1 – 1 Tunbridge Wells Grammar School (Kent)
Wright Robinson College 3 – 4 Tunbridge Wells Grammar School (penalties)

U14 PlayStation F.C. Schools’ Cup Final for B Teams
West Hill School (Greater Manchester) 1 – 3 Hurstmere School (Kent)

U15 PlayStation F.C. Small Schools’ Cup Final
Buckswood School (Sussex) 2 – 2 Brooke House College (Leicestershire)
Buckswood School 5 – 4 Brooke House College (penalties)

Thursday 26th May 2022

U13 PlayStation F.C. Small Schools’ Cup Final
Bowland High School (Lancashire) 0 – 4 Royal Russell School (Surrey)

U14 PlayStation F.C. Schools’ Cup Final
Beechen Cliff School (Somerset) 0 – 2 Calday Grange Grammar School (Merseyside)

U14 PlayStation F.C. Elite Schools’ Cup Final
Horizon Community College (S. Yorkshire) 2 – 2 St Peter’s CHS (Gloucestershire)
Horizon Community College 4 – 3 St Peter’s CHS (penalties)

U15 PlayStation F.C. Elite Schools’ Cup Final
The English Martyrs School (Durham) 0 – 6 Ormiston Victory Academy (Norwich)

U14 PlayStation F.C. Small Schools’ Cup Final
LeAF Studio School (Dorset) 8 – 2 Moorland School (Lancashire)

The ESFA would like to thank PlayStation for their ongoing support of the ESFA Schools’ Cup competitions. The Association would also like to thank West Bromwich Albion FC for their support in staging this fantastic event.

Congratulations go to all the National Finalists for 21/22 as well as all of the schools, teachers, parents, players and pupils that make the PlayStation F.C. Schools’ Cup the height of schools’ football competitions, season after season.

To find out how your school can enter the PlayStation F.C. Schools’ Cup competitions for the 22/23 season, email competitions@schoolsfa.com for more information.

All photos are credited to official ESFA photographer, 353 Photo. Pictures are available to purchase online via their website.