BT Sport Pub Cup is back and bigger than ever before

• Over 190 men’s and women’s pub football teams to compete at Premier League grounds across the UK
• UK’s biggest pub team kit giveaway, all BT Sport Pub teams who enter the draw will receive a free kit for next season

Today BT Sport has announced that the BT Sport Pub Cup will return for its third year, with this year’s tournament set to be the largest yet.

Following the success of last year’s competition, which was won by East London pub, The Gun, in thrilling fashion, the 2019 BT Sport Pub Cup will be open to more teams than ever before, with over 190 places up for grabs across a men’s and a women’s tournament*.

This year BT Sport will also be giving away a full Puma team kit for every BT Sport Pub team that enters the draw to compete**.

The free-to-enter competition, which aims to celebrate pubs and their football teams, begins on the 8^th May with twelve regional qualifiers at stadiums across the UK, including Anfield - Liverpool, Selhurst Park – Crystal Palace, St. Marys - Southampton, Molineux - Wolverhampton, Stadium of Light – Sunderland , Liberty Stadium - Swansea and Windsor Park - Belfast, before the winning teams face off in the semi-finals at the state-of-the-art City Academy, home of Manchester City and with the final at Newcastle’s St. James’ Park on 4^th June.

Bruce Cuthbert, director commercial customers, BT Sport, said: “This year we’re bringing back the BT Sport Pub Cup, bigger and better, with more teams able to take part and the biggest pub team kit giveaway ever.Sport is such an important part of pub culture and this competition aims to strengthen the tie between licensees and their communities by offering a once in a life time experience to pub football teams up and down the country.”

Robbie Savage, manager of last year’s winners, The Gun, said of the 2018 competition: “It’s been very professional, very organised and a fantastic initiative to give these guys the opportunities to play at some fantastic venues.”

John Hartson, who managed last year’s finalists, the Liver Vaults said: “The Pub Cup is a great advert for all the pubs across the country and fair play to BT Sport for putting something like this on.”

Both new and established teams representing their local BT Sport pub can enter. Entrants can sign up until the 31^st March 2019 at www.btsportbusiness.com/pubcup.Teams wanting to enter and represent a BT Sport pub can find their nearest BT Sport pub at www.btsportbusiness.com.

Notes to Editor

* BT Sport Pubs can enter a maximum of one team , either men’s or women’s.Sign up between 25th Feb – 31st March 2019 at btsportbusiness.com/pubcup (full T&Cs available online). The landlord or the team can enter (the landlord’s name, pub name and postcode must be provided to validate an entry)

** A maximum of 1,500 team kits are available to give away to BT Sport Pubs who enter the draw to be in the BT Sport Pub Cup

Regional Dates

Semi Finals

27^th May – Manchester City Academy

Final

4^th June – St James’ Park