Come October, ‘Skool’ is in session for thousands of young Australian footballers arriving in Shepparton.
The dates for the wildly successful Australian Football Skool Shepparton Cup have been announced, with the three-day tournament expected to draw 5000-plus players, staff and officials to the region on October 25 to 27.
Like last year’s edition, the event will be split across two venues: Shepparton Sports City and Mooroopna Recreation Reserve.
After the smash hit that was the 2023 AFS Shepparton Cup, AFS director Rolando Navas expressed a genuine interest in transforming the three-day football mecca into Australia’s most prominent youth football tournament.
Navas’ stance hasn’t faltered since.
“The 2024 cup’s return to Shepparton symbolises resilience, community and football’s enduring spirit. We’re excited to reignite dreams and celebrate the sport’s essence,” Navas said.
“We are also aiming to make this the nation’s biggest and best junior football tournament.”
The 2023 AFS Shepparton Cup had more than 500 matches contested by about 2638 players, with a smattering of local teams featured among the winners’ list.
This year, a similar, if not bigger, return is expected.
City of Greater Shepparton Mayor Shane Sali waxed lyrical about the thriving round-ball event, touching on the economic boost and community benefits it provided to the region each year.
“Greater Shepparton has had the pleasure of hosting the Shepparton Cup for a number of years and this allows us to continue the tradition of hosting high-profile sporting events,” Sali said.
“Our local clubs are excited for the great opportunity to be involved with some of the key event operations, using this experience to invest back into their facilities and sporting groups.”
Similar to last year, it’s anticipated players and staff from interstate and New Zealand will descend on Shepparton, with Sali noting the welcomed injection it’ll bring to the area.
“Local businesses get a real boost from these types of large scale sporting events and it is also the perfect opportunity to support local jobs, whilst keeping the economy strong,” Sali said.