Barnard Castle Youth U9 Tournament
05/09/2026
GREEN LANE, BARNARD CASTLE, DL12 8LG
Description
🏆 Tournament Format & Rules
Get ready for a high-stakes competition! Here is everything you need to know about how the tournament will run:
Teams: 6 teams, split into 2 groups of 3 (Group A and Group B).
Get ready for a high-stakes competition! Here is everything you need to know about how the tournament will run:
Teams: 6 teams, split into 2 groups of 3 (Group A and Group B).
Resources: 2 Pitches, 2 Referees (each referee manages one pitch for the entire tournament).
Match Duration: 20 minutes per match (straight through, no half-time to save time).
Total Time: 120 minutes (6 rounds x 20 minutes).
The Twist: Since each group only has 3 teams, a standard group stage would leave one team sitting out each round. To maximize playing time and keep everyone active, we will run Cross-Group Round Robin matches alongside intra-group matches. Every team plays exactly 4 group matches and 1 final placement match.
The Schedule (120 Minutes Total)
Group Stage (100 Minutes)
Every team plays 4 matches ($4 \times 20\text{ mins} = 80\text{ mins}$ of group play).
Round | Pitch 1 (Ref 1) | Pitch 2 (Ref 2) | Resting Teams
Round 1 (0-20 mins) | A1 vs A2 | B1 vs B2 | A3, B3
Round 2 (20-40 mins) | A1 vs A3 | B1 vs B3 | A2, B2
Round 3 (40-60 mins) | A2 vs A3 | B2 vs B3 | A1, B1
Round 4 (60-80 mins) | A1 vs B1 | A2 vs B2 | A3, B3
Round 5 (80-100 mins) | A3 vs B3 | Buffer / Rest | All other teams rest
Round 1 (0-20 mins) | A1 vs A2 | B1 vs B2 | A3, B3
Round 2 (20-40 mins) | A1 vs A3 | B1 vs B3 | A2, B2
Round 3 (40-60 mins) | A2 vs A3 | B2 vs B3 | A1, B1
Round 4 (60-80 mins) | A1 vs B1 | A2 vs B2 | A3, B3
Round 5 (80-100 mins) | A3 vs B3 | Buffer / Rest | All other teams rest
💡 Standings Note: Keep separate league tables for Group A and Group B. Points from all 4 games (including the cross-group games in Rounds 4 and 5) count toward a team's group ranking.
Knockout & Placement Finals (20 Minutes)
Every team plays 1 final match ($1 \times 20\text{ mins}$). Total tournament time per team hits exactly 120 minutes.
Round | Pitch 1 (Ref 1) | Pitch 2 (Ref 2)Round 6 (100-120 mins) | Grand Final: 1st of Group A vs 1st of Group B | 3rd Place: 2nd of Group A vs 2nd of Group B
(Note: The 3rd place teams from Group A and Group B will finish tied for 5th overall, having completed their maximum 100 minutes of play during the group stage).
Tie-Breaker Rules for the Finals
Because the knockout round is exactly 20 minutes with no room for extra time, if a final match ends in a draw:
- Sudden Death Penalty Shootout: 3 penalties per team, then sudden death.
- No Referees Needed for Shootouts: If the schedule is tight, the 3rd place match can go straight to penalties on the sidelines while the Grand Final finishes on Pitch 1.
