Brighton & Hove Albion join SuperCupNI line-up

English Premier League outfit Brighton and Hove Albion have confirmed their return to the Premier section of this summer's SuperCupNI.

The Sussex based side made their debut last summer and they were one of the first teams to confirm their attendance at the 2024 tournament, a decision fuelled by an overwhelmingly positive experience on and off the pitch last summer.

Tournament chairperson Victor Leonard said everyone involved with the tournament was delighted to hear of the Premier League club confirming their entry for this summer.

“We were absolutely delighted to welcome Brighton and Hove Albion last summer," he said.

“They have an outstanding reputation at Academy level in England and from speaking to their staff last summer they were really pleased with the range of opponents they faced and the warm welcome they received on and off the field of play.”

The Premier League side are joined in the Premier section by Middlesbrough FC. The North Yorkshire outfit last attended back in 2017, when they participated in the Junior section of the tournament. The Riverside Stadium outfit are previous winners of the tournament, claiming the Premier section crown in 1997 and they will hope to make their mark in what promises to be a hotly contested Premier section this summer.

Also returning to the tournament after a short absence is Otago from New Zealand. The South Islanders will make the longest journey of any of the teams competing in the tournament this summer, with the New Zealanders travelling for over 24 hours to take their place in the Premier section.

They are joined by UAE based side Barca Academy Dubai, a satellite academy centre of FC Barcelona, who secured their place at the tournament after winning a SuperCupNI qualification tournament in Dubai before Christmas. Their involvement in the tournament stems from an innovative relationship between the SuperCupNI and the Mina Cup, an elite youth football tournament that takes place in Dubai.

Dundalk Schoolboys League will once again compete in the Premier section this summer and they are joined by West Cork Academy, who are making their debut at the tournament. The Academy regularly attend tournaments across Europe, and they will be keen to make a good first impression at their debut appearance.

The draw for the 2024 boys’ section takes place at the National Football Stadium at Windsor Park this Wednesday, with proceedings getting underway at 7.30pm. The draw will be streamed live via the SuperCupNI Facebook page.

The 2024 tournament will take place from July 21-26, with the traditional parade and opening ceremony kicking off proceedings on July 21 and the tournament will close with finals day on Friday July 26.