Africa United Creates Major Platform for Future Stars With Launch of U19 Cup

Africa United has launched the inaugural Africa United U19 Cup, building on the programme’s victory at the U19 Madrid Elite Cup 2026 in Spain in August. The new Johannesburg tournament will create another pathway for promising South African footballers to access elite development and international scouting opportunities.

BRM Consulting, the project owner of Africa United, has officially launched the inaugural Africa United U19 Cup, which will take place in Johannesburg from 10 to 17 December 2026, with the venue to be confirmed. The tournament will identify and promote South Africa’s most promising under-19 footballers, connecting them with international opportunities through collaboration with leading European talent-identification and player-development specialists.

Founder and Director of Africa United, Bob Richard, said: “Africa United was created to address a long-standing gap in African football development: many talented young players have limited access to structured, high-performance environments and international scouting platforms”.

One of the parents whose son was part of Africa United’s victorious campaign at the Madrid Elite Cup, Velile Ramphele, said: “My son, Leruo, has made tremendous progress since joining Africa United. The tour to Spain played a significant role in his development, helping to shape and prepare him for the future in the sport. It was a wonderful opportunity that exposed him to a different and higher level of competition, while also broadening his experience as a young footballer.”

While preparations are underway for the tournament that Africa United will host in December, another carefully selected squad from teams in the GDL League, is set to jet off to Spain in November to compete in the prestigious Surf International Cup against some of the Europe’s leading clubs and academies such as Atletico Madrid, Inter Milan, PSG, Glasgow Rangers, just to name a few.

Africa United, the elite youth development programme established to identify, nurture and elevate South Africa’s most promising young footballers onto the international stage, will soon announce the final squad that will travel to Salou, Spain, for the highly anticipated tournament. The opportunity will provide the players with valuable international exposure and the chance to test themselves against some of Europe’s top youth talent, further contributing to their football and personal development.

“Africa has an incredibly large pool of young football talent, and we want to provide as many of these players as possible with the structure, exposure and professional environment they need to compete on the global stage. Through initiatives such as these international tournaments, we are creating pathways for young players to showcase their abilities against top-level opposition.

The players will also receive life-skills education and exposure to professional football standards, ensuring their holistic development both on and off the field,” he added.