More than 630 primary school students took to the field in Rockdale this week as the Sydney FC Primary Schools Cup recorded its biggest year yet.
The two-day tournament was held on Tuesday 22 and Wednesday 23 September at Ador Avenue Reserve and J Graham Field, bringing together 61 school teams from across the region.
Participation grew substantially from the event’s first year. Sydney FC says more than 40 teams took part in the inaugural 2025 tournament, compared with 61 this year.
The strongest growth was in the girls’ competitions, with 24 girls’ teams taking part in 2026 compared with six in 2025. That four-fold increase made girls’ participation one of the standout developments in the tournament’s second year.
Schools competed across four competitions covering Stage 2 and Stage 3 boys and girls divisions. Teams travelled from across Sydney and from as far as the Illawarra and Central Coast to take part.
The event also drew families and school communities to Rockdale, with Sydney FC reporting more than 380 spectators across the two days.
The Primary Schools Cup gives young players a chance to represent their schools in organised football while bringing students, teachers and families together at local sporting fields.
With more than 630 players already participating in only its second year, the Rockdale tournament has quickly grown into a sizeable school football event, with the increase in girls’ teams pointing to particularly strong growth in that part of the competition.