FAQ

What is IberCup?
IberCup is a global youth soccer ecosystem, not just a tournament. It is an international platform that connects clubs, players, coaches and families through competition, development pathways and travel experiences.

Where are IberCup tournaments hosted?
IberCup follows a multi-country hosting model, with events in Portugal, Spain, Brazil and the USA, and new destinations being added. Clubs can choose the destinations that best fit their strategy. See the full calendar on our Tournaments page.

Do you offer different competition levels?
Yes. IberCup accommodates development, competitive and elite teams, so every team plays in the right competitive environment.

How competitive is each tournament?
We rank our events on a 1–10 difficulty scale:

How does IberCup fit into our annual calendar?
Events are scheduled around school calendars, domestic league seasons and international travel windows. Clubs can spread their teams across different events and plan participation as a year-round strategy, not a one-off trip.

Competition & Format

How is the competition structured?
Two stages:

How many matches are guaranteed?
A minimum of 4 matches: 3 group-stage matches plus at least 1 playoff match. Depending on performance, teams can play up to 7 matches. Even teams finishing lower in their group play at least 4.

What types of fields are used?
Matches are played on natural grass and artificial turf across multiple venues (typically 40–50 fields). Field assignments are based on team logistics, age group, match schedule and meal locations.

Who officiates the matches?
International referees – on average from 30+ different nationalities.

Are age categories separated?
Yes. Each age group has its own competition (e.g. U15 and U16 are separate).

Are over-age players allowed?
Yes, within limits and subject to each category’s rules:

Elite & World Final

Do you have Elite tournaments?
Yes. Elite events such as IberCup Cascais, São Paulo and USA are designed for teams seeking high-level international competition against top academies. Participating academies vary by edition.
Teams enter through two pathways:

How does the Elite structure work?
Elite Groups consist mainly of top academy teams from Europe and South America; other high-level teams may be invited based on ranking and history. After the group stage, all teams advance to Gold, Silver or Bronze playoffs based on performance.

What if my team is not placed in an Elite Group?
At IberCup, Elite is not where you start – it’s what you earn. Finishing 1st in your regular group qualifies your team for the Elite Playoffs against the tournament’s top clubs.

What is the IberCup World Final?
The World Final is IberCup’s global stage, where top youth teams from Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia and Oceania compete for international recognition. Entry is strictly performance-based.

When and where is the World Final?
December 15–19, 2026 in Cascais, Portugal.

The Final Qualification Round takes place in the days before the World Final; its winners secure the last World Final spots.

Accommodation

What is the Stay-to-Play policy?
All players must stay in official tournament accommodation – school housing or a designated tournament hotel – booked through IberCup. Players not registered through the official accommodation program are not eligible to compete. This guarantees centralized logistics, consistent quality and efficient transport, and is required by our agreements with local authorities, hotels and service providers.

Can parents book their own accommodation?
Yes. Parents may book their own accommodation independently and still attend the event. The Stay-to-Play requirement applies to players (and team staff), not to parents.

Can players on the same team stay in different types of accommodation?
No. All players on a team must stay in the same type of accommodation – it is not possible to split a team between school housing and a hotel.

Players must bring a sleeping bag and pillow. Parents cannot stay in school accommodation.

How many adults can stay in the school?
2 to 4 staff members per team, depending on roster size. They don’t have to be official coaches but must be approved as team staff.

Are boys and girls separated in the school?
Girls’ teams are usually placed in schools with other girls’ teams. In some cases boys’ teams may be in the same building, but teams always stay in separate classrooms and bathroom/shower access is organized to ensure privacy.

Are showers private?
Showers are usually in the sports facilities and are open, similar to a team locker room. Usage is scheduled, with boys and girls separated.

Can parents sign their child out overnight?
No. For security reasons the school is closed at night and players cannot go in and out overnight. If a player needs the bathroom during the night, a coach or staff member accompanies them.

Are there rules for phones or tablets?
No general restriction, but a strict no-noise policy applies after 11:00 PM.

Can a team upgrade to a hotel?
Yes, to official IberCup partner hotels (3★ or 4★). The upgrade must be done for the entire team – individual players cannot upgrade separately.

Can parents stay in the same hotel as the team?
Yes. Parents can purchase the IberCup hotel package and stay in the team’s hotel, and may share a room with their child depending on rooming structure and availability.

How many people can stay in each hotel room?
Families usually choose 2 or 3 people per room. Rooms for 4 or more depend on availability and must be confirmed. If a 4-person room isn’t available, the group is allocated 2 double rooms at standard double-occupancy rates.

What if we need a Triple Room and none is available?
If a family of three requires a Triple Room and the hotel cannot provide one due to inventory limits, we may accommodate them as one Twin/Double room plus one Single room, with no additional single-room charge. This exception does not apply when a Single Room is requested by preference.

Can three players share a Triple Room?
Yes, subject to availability. Bed configurations vary (e.g. 2 single beds + 1 extra bed or sofa bed). We always try to secure 3 separate sleeping spaces but cannot guarantee it – request it as early as possible.

What if we have a male and a female coach?
Separate rooms can be arranged; a single-room supplement applies.

Who decides room assignments?
The team and families manage the rooming list through the IberCup platform. Without a specific preference, rooms are assigned in triple or quadruple occupancy based on that list and availability.

Does sharing a room with a parent reduce the player’s price?
No. The player price covers the full package – accommodation, meals, transport, tournament participation and activities.

When will our hotel be confirmed?
Approximately 1 month before the tournament, once all payments are completed. Allocation depends on group size, age group, logistics, rooming needs, number of teams per club and special requests.

Why can’t hotels be confirmed earlier?
Hotel allocation works like a large puzzle and can only be finalized once all team details and rooming profiles are confirmed. All official hotels follow the same quality standard – there are no “better” or “worse” hotels, only the best logistical fit for each group.

What time is hotel check-in?
Official check-in is from 3:00 PM. Hotels often release rooms earlier as they are cleaned, but early check-in is never guaranteed.

Our flights arrive in the morning. What happens before rooms are ready?
You can leave your luggage securely at the hotel, explore the area and access rooms as they become available. To guarantee a room from around 10:00 AM, an additional night before the official arrival date must be booked.

Meals

What meals are included?
3 meals per day. Meals start with breakfast on the first full day of the package and end with breakfast on departure day. No meals are served on arrival day.

The schedule may be adjusted according to the match calendar, logistics or external factors.

Can we remove meals from the package?
No. Meals are part of the official accommodation agreement and cannot be removed. You are free to explore additional dining options outside the official meals.

Transport

Are airport transfers included?
Yes: 1 arrival transfer and 1 departure transfer, for players, staff and accompanying persons in the official package.

How do airport transfers work?
Transfers run in predefined group windows, not per individual flight (e.g. 8:00 AM, 10:00 AM, 12:00 PM, depending on the number of buses). Families should book flights as close as possible to an agreed window – we recommend a maximum 2-hour arrival window per team. Final windows are set once we receive the group’s complete flight information. Group flights can also be arranged on request.

What if we arrive before or leave after the package dates?
Airport transport is not included outside the official package dates. Families arranging their own schedule are responsible for their own transport.

What does the private bus include?
A bus dedicated to your group for the duration of the tournament, within contracted daily time and distance limits: transport to and from all matches, aligned with the official schedule, and flexibility to use it for sightseeing or team activities. Standard allocation is 1 bus (approx. 54 seats) for every 2 teams; clubs with an odd number of teams get an extra bus so they don’t share with another club.

Can parents outside the package use the team bus?
No. Only participants in the official package holding a valid tournament credential can use organization transport. Access cannot be purchased individually – this ensures safety, capacity control and fair cost distribution.

Experiences

Which professional academy hosts the training experience?
It depends on which professional club can accommodate the group during that period. Because club schedules change, the specific academy cannot be guaranteed far in advance. We always aim to run the session inside the academy environment, subject to the club’s schedule and security policies.

Can parents attend the academy training session?
Parent attendance cannot be guaranteed. It is normally confirmed about one day before the visit, as professional clubs may restrict access for security and privacy reasons. Stadium tours are open to families, and up to 5 staff members per group may attend training sessions.

Which stadium will we visit?
The stadium is confirmed according to availability and the final program.

Can we extend our stay or combine tournaments?
Yes. We can build custom packages with additional nights and transport between events. Contact our team to tailor it.

Registration, Documents & Payments

What authorization do international teams need?
An authorization letter from the team’s football federation, or a school/club association authorization. This validates participation in the tournament.

Our team recruits players from different clubs. What do we need?
An official letter confirming that the club board approved the team’s participation, that the players are authorized to travel and compete with the team, and that they travel with appropriate insurance.

Is insurance included?
No. Every player must have valid medical insurance (federation or private). IberCup does not provide group insurance and is not responsible for injuries, illness, loss or damage.

What happens if payment deadlines are missed?
Reservations may be cancelled, availability is no longer guaranteed and new pricing may apply. Accommodation is allocated strictly on payments confirmed before the deadline.

How much does it cost?
Pricing depends on the tournament, accommodation type and group structure, and is provided in your club’s official package proposal. Contact our team for a tailored quote.

Players, Coaches & Clubs