Xove brings together Europe’s Gaelic football youth teams for the first Celtic Cup U17

A Coruña, 18 September 2026. Gaelic football’s European youth scene came together in Xove on 4 July for the first Celtic Cup U17, an international competition created to support the development of young players and give the next generation the opportunity to compete against teams from across Europe.

Organised by the Asociación Galega de Fútbol Gaélico (AGFG), the tournament brought together 15 teams from Galicia, Ireland, France and Germany. The men’s and women’s competitions were held simultaneously at Xove’s municipal sports facilities, using both natural grass and artificial turf pitches.

The men’s competition featured nine teams, including the Galicia A and Galicia B representative sides, France and Germany, as well as the Irish clubs St Michael’s GAC, Naomh Pádraig GAC, St Sylvester’s A and B, Skerries Harps and Na Piarsaigh Doiretrasna. The women’s competition featured six teams: the two Galician representative sides, France, Germany, Kilmacud Crokes and Naomh Pádraig GAC.

The participation of the two Galician representative teams gave young players the opportunity to test themselves against teams from some of the leading territories and clubs in European Gaelic football, providing valuable competitive experience and supporting their sporting development.

A new step for Gaelic football youth development

The first Celtic Cup U17 marks another step forward in the AGFG’s long-term work to promote Gaelic football among younger generations. Several of the players who represented Galicia had already taken part in underage competitions in recent seasons. The creation of a dedicated international U17 tournament therefore provides continuity within their development pathway.

A key part of this work is the Gaélico Escolas PuntoGal programme, which introduces Gaelic football to Galician schools through introductory activities, workshops and sporting events. The programme has already reached more than 3,000 children and has become one of the main ways of introducing the sport to young people across Galicia.

The tournament was originally scheduled to take place in Santiago de Compostela, but the organisers had to relocate it to Xove because of adverse weather conditions and the high temperatures forecast for that weekend. The AGFG highlighted the willingness of the Xove Town Council and Unión Deportiva Xove Lago to host the event despite the very short notice.

PuntoGal supports the growth of Gaelic football

The Celtic Cup U17 is part of the programme of activities supported by PuntoGal through its collaboration with the Asociación Galega de Fútbol Gaélico, renewed in 2026 for an eighth consecutive year. The agreement includes support for the Gaélico Escolas PuntoGal programme and the association’s sporting activities, as well as PuntoGal’s role as main sponsor of the Galician representative teams, whose shirts feature the PuntoGal brand.

For PuntoGal, initiatives such as the Celtic Cup are part of its commitment to projects that bring together sport, education, young people and the promotion of Galician culture. They also contribute to strengthening the community around Gaelic football and expanding the presence of the Galician language in new areas.

The first Celtic Cup U17 therefore adds an international dimension to a sport that has continued to grow in Galicia in recent years, while providing new generations of players with opportunities to develop through competition and international exchange.