Leasowe Hosts Fifth Wirral Girls Football Tournament, Liverpool 2026

Key Points

• The Wirral Girls Football Tournament will be held for its fifth successive year on Saturday, 22nd August 2026.
• The tournament will be held at Leasowe Recreation Centre, Twickenham Drive, Wirral, CH46 1PF.
• A total of 300 girls from 26 local clubs from Merseyside, north Wales, and Cheshire are set to participate.
• Over 50 matches of football will be held from 12pm to 6pm.
• The tournament is designed to create a welcoming environment for girls to enjoy football, grow their confidence levels and learn teamwork.
• The tournament will help promote the awareness campaign by Merseyside Police – “Taking Action”, in regards to violence against women and girls.
• Everton in the Community, LFC Foundation, Merseyside Youth Association, St John Ambulance, Wirral Taekwondo and Rapid Relief Team will be partnering the tournament.
• Families and neighbours are welcome to attend and cheer for the participants.

Liverpool (Liverpool standard) August 21, 2026 — The Wirral Girls Football Tournament will return for its fifth consecutive year at Leasowe Recreation Centre, with around 300 girls from 26 grassroots teams across Merseyside, north Wales and Cheshire expected to take part.

 The fifth Wirral Girls Football Tournament is set to bring together hundreds of young players and community organisations for an afternoon of football, wellbeing activity and safety awareness at Leasowe Recreation Centre.

The tournament, taking place from 12pm until 6pm on Saturday, will include more than 50 matches. It has been organised to give girls a safe and inclusive opportunity to enjoy football while developing confidence, teamwork and participation in a supportive sporting environment.

Alongside the football programme, the event will support Merseyside Police’s Violence Against Women and Girls, or VAWG, awareness campaign, Taking Action. Organisers said the tournament will use sport to encourage conversations about safety, resilience, wellbeing and gender-based violence.

The tournament will be supported by a number of community and football partners. uk/local/everton/">Everton in the Community has provided trophies and medals, while the LFC Foundation will assist during the event and provide referees.

Merseyside Youth Association will offer mental health support and guidance. St John Ambulance will provide first-aid lessons intended to give players skills that could help them protect themselves and others. Wirral Taekwondo will introduce self-defence techniques, and the Rapid Relief Team will provide food and refreshments.

Families, friends and local residents are invited to attend Leasowe Recreation Centre to watch the matches and support the participating teams.

What will happen at the Wirral Girls Football Tournament?

The Wirral Girls Football Tournament will centre on a programme of more than 50 matches involving 26 grassroots teams. Players will travel from across Merseyside, north Wales and Cheshire to take part in the one-day event.

The football matches will be accompanied by activities and support services provided by the partner organisations. These include first-aid learning delivered by St John Ambulance, mental health guidance from Merseyside Youth Association and introductory self-defence activity from Wirral Taekwondo.

The LFC Foundation will provide referees and assist on the day, while Everton in the Community has supplied trophies and medals for the tournament. The Rapid Relief Team will provide food and refreshments for those attending.

The event is open to supporters as well as participants. Organisers have encouraged families, friends and members of the local community to attend and cheer on the players.

How does the tournament support the Taking Action campaign?

This year’s tournament supports Merseyside Police’s Taking Action campaign, which focuses on awareness of violence against women and girls.

The event will use the football tournament as a setting for young people to access practical support and educational activity. Organisers said it will create opportunities to discuss issues including personal safety, resilience, wellbeing and gender-based violence.

The partnership approach means that football is only one element of the day. The inclusion of first-aid tuition, mental health guidance and self-defence activities is intended to provide players with information and practical skills alongside their participation in sport.

Merseyside Police has linked the event to its work with local organisations and communities. The tournament brings together police, football organisations, youth support groups, emergency first-aid providers and volunteer-led community services in one location.

What did Constable Claire Ryan say about the event?

Constable Claire Ryan of the Wallasey Community Team, who is leading and organising the tournament, said she was proud to oversee the event for a fifth consecutive year.

In a statement provided by Merseyside Police, Constable Ryan said:

“I’m incredibly proud to be leading and organising this tournament for the fifth consecutive year and to see first-hand the enthusiasm, determination and team spirit the girls bring to the event.”

She added:

“Opportunities like this play a vital role in building confidence, encouraging teamwork and, above all, allowing young people to enjoy themselves in a positive and supportive environment.”

Constable Ryan also referred to the organisations supporting this year’s event. She said:

“It’s great to see even more partners joining us this year. Merseyside Police is committed to working with our partners and communities, and the Wirral Girls Football Tournament is a great example of what can be achieved when we work together, making it much more than a sporting event.”

Her comments identify the tournament as both a sporting activity and a partnership event involving local services and organisations.

What did Cheshire FA say about supporting girls’ football?

Laura Holmes, Cheshire FA Women & Girls Development Officer, said Cheshire FA was proud to support the Wirral Girls Football Tournament again.

As reported in the statement, Holmes said:

“Cheshire FA is proud to support the Wirral Girls Football Tournament once again. As a ‘White Ribbon’ accredited organisation, committed to preventing men’s violence against women and girls, this work is incredibly important to us.”

She said the event combines football participation with access to educational activity. Holmes added:

“The event provides a fantastic opportunity for girls to enjoy football while also engaging with the educational workshops available throughout the day, which offer invaluable learning and awareness around important topics.”

Holmes also thanked Constable Ryan, Merseyside Police and the partner organisations and volunteers involved in arranging the event.

“I would like to thank Claire Ryan and Merseyside Police as well as all the partners, organisations and volunteers who contribute their time and support to make the day possible,”

she said.

“We hope everyone involved has a great day.”

When and where is the tournament taking place?

The Wirral Girls Football Tournament will be held on Saturday, 22 August 2026, between 12pm and 6pm.

The venue is:

Leasowe Recreation Centre
Twickenham Drive
Wirral
CH46 1PF

The event is expected to involve 300 girls and 26 grassroots teams, with more than 50 matches planned across the afternoon.

Background: Why was the Wirral Girls Football Tournament established?

The Wirral Girls Football Tournament is now in its fifth year and has been led by Constable Claire Ryan of Merseyside Police’s Wallasey Community Team. Its stated purpose is to provide girls with an inclusive and positive environment in which to play football, develop confidence and build teamwork skills.

The 2026 event expands that approach through the involvement of football, community, health and emergency-support organisations. The programme includes football matches alongside mental health guidance, first-aid education and self-defence activity.

This year’s tournament also aligns with Merseyside Police’s Taking Action campaign on violence against women and girls. The campaign connection places awareness, safety and wellbeing alongside the sporting programme.

Prediction: How could the tournament affect players and the Wirral community?

For the girls taking part, the event may provide an opportunity to play competitive grassroots football, meet teams from neighbouring areas and access support activities in a community setting. The combination of matches, first-aid lessons, mental health guidance and self-defence instruction could give participants exposure to skills and information beyond the football pitch.

For families and local residents, the tournament is likely to create a focal point for supporting girls’ grassroots football in Wirral. Attendance from community members may also increase awareness of the organisations involved in youth wellbeing, safety and sport.

For the participating partners, the tournament provides a shared setting to reach young people and their families directly. Its continued delivery for a fifth year may help sustain local collaboration between football organisations, police, youth services, volunteers and community support providers.