What an absolutely incredible day we had at the beginning of June. On Tuesday, 2nd June 2026, the iconic home of Doncaster Rovers, the Eco Power Stadium, was filled with roaring crowds, brilliant sunshine, a touch of classic British rain, and some of the finest young footballing talent in the region. The 2026 Stoneacre Cup was officially our best tournament yet.
Every single year, this event grows into something special. For 2026, we introduced an exciting twist by moving the tournament to Years 2 and 3. This brought a completely fresh wave of energy, camaraderie, and pure joy to the pitch. Here is a look back at an unforgettable day of community spirit and sporting action. Take a look below to watch the excitement unfold!
Playing on a Professional Pitch
The Stoneacre Cup is a unique one-day tournament that gives local children the life-changing opportunity to lace up their boots and step out onto the professional Doncaster Rovers first team pitch. This year, we welcomed eight fantastic Doncaster primary schools to compete in a fast-paced, 7-a-side football tournament.
Each school brought a mixed squad of ten eager players. To keep things fair and balanced, the rules stated that teams must have three boys and three girls as outfield players at all times, with the choice of goalkeeper left entirely up to the managers.
To make sure the children truly felt like professionals, every single participating school received a brand new, quality football kit, complete with a goalkeeper strip. The kit colours were chosen to represent the school’s themselves, making the pitch look like a vibrant sea of colour as the matches kicked off.
The Crowds and the Grand Finale
We asked schools to bring along a coach full of spectators, and the local community certainly did not disappoint. The stands were absolutely packed. Parents, carers, teachers, and classmates created a lively, buzzing atmosphere that lifted the young players and gave them a true stadium experience.
The standard of football on display was phenomenal. Despite a little bit of rain trying to dampen the mood, the quality of play never wavered. After a series of thrilling and highly competitive matches, the final standings were locked in.
A massive congratulations goes to Owston Park Primary Academy, who played brilliantly to take home the 1st place premium trophy. Brad, a teacher from Owston Park Primary Academy, stated:
“The Stoneacre Cup continues to be a fantastic event that brings schools, pupils, staff and communities together through football. I’m proud to help coordinate the competition each year, working alongside the Stoneacre team to create a memorable experience for all eight schools involved.
This year’s tournament had a brilliant atmosphere, and I particularly enjoyed seeing the younger age groups take part, which brought a different energy and excitement to the day. Stoneacre’s support makes a huge difference, from providing kits and transport funding to rewarding every participant and celebrating the schools’ achievements.
As both a PE teacher and one of the event organisers, it was especially rewarding to see Owston Park Primary Academy win the cup for the first time in the competition’s six-year history. I was incredibly proud of our team, who showed great teamwork, determination and sportsmanship throughout the day. Winning was a wonderful bonus, but the real success was seeing so many children enjoy such a positive and memorable experience.”
Here is how the final tournament leaderboard looked:
- 1st Place: Owston Park Primary Academy (£750 prize)
- 2nd Place: Sunnyfields Primary School (£500 prize)
- 3rd Place: Spa Academy Askern (£375 prize)
- 4th Place: Hatchellwood Primary Academy (£300 prize)
- 5th Place: Scawsby Junior Academy (£200 prize)
- 6th Place: Pheasant Bank Academy (£150 prize)
- 7th Place: Plover Primary School (£125 prize)
- 8th Place: Mallard Primary School (£100 prize)
No one went home empty-handed. Every single school was awarded a share of the prize money pot, alongside high quality medals for every single player who took part.
Creating an Inclusive Community Legacy
At Stoneacre, we want this tournament to touch as many lives as possible. Because of this, we run a special rotation system for the schools each year. This allows us to welcome brand new schools from different areas of Doncaster while keeping a few returning schools to help the day run smoothly. It means we can focus our extra support on the children experiencing the big stadium environment for the very first time.
The excitement also stretched far beyond the pitch. We ran a social media engagement competition, offering an extra £250 for 1st, £150 for 2nd, and £100 for 3rd place for the schools that generated the most online buzz.
The response from the teachers, children, and families involved sums up exactly why we love hosting this event.
James, a teacher at Sunnyfields Primary School, shared his feedback with us after the event:
“Thank you so much again for the opportunity, kits and prize money. Thank you again so much for all your hard work, and please send on our huge thank you to Shaun and the rest of the Stoneacre team for such a fabulous opportunity for our children and families.”
We also received a wonderful message from Josh, a teacher at Plover Primary School, who highlighted how the tournament brought their entire school community together:
“Everyone at Plover Primary School feels so fortunate and honoured to have taken part in the Stoneacre Cup 2026. The whole Plover community got involved and showed great support towards our Y2/3 ‘Plover Purple Players’.
The feedback, comments and support from our parents/carers who attended the day absolutely loved it, they said how much of a spectacle it was. Parents of children not involved were so enthusiastic about the day and the Social Media Campaign competition, which celebrated the success of our school and Stoneacre!
The children, staff, and parents/carers have all asked if we will take part in 2027, so we hope we can make more children’s dreams come true here at Plover!
As a school, we were so grateful for the opportunity and so thankful and appreciative of the stunning brand-new football kits, equipment, and prize money that have been awarded to us. It will have a massive impact on our school community!”
Our very own Social Media Manager at Stoneacre, Charlotte, was on the sidelines capturing all the action and perfectly wrapped up the day:
“The best Stoneacre Cup yet, they get better year on year! Switching to Y2 & Y3 brought fresh energy, brilliant football and real camaraderie; a bit of rain couldn’t touch the quality of play, and the incredible crowds made the atmosphere unforgettable”
Hearing this feedback makes all the hard work worthwhile. We are already looking forward to making more dreams come true in 2027. Thank you to everyone who came down, cheered, and made the 2026 Stoneacre Cup a day we will never forget.
