Lanzarote International Cup lowered the curtain this Sunday with an exciting final day held at the Lanzarote Sports City, where the last finals of the championship were played and the trophy presentation ceremony took place, which put the finishing touch to four intense days of competition.
The third edition of the tournament has brought together more than 120 teams in the Benjamín, Alevín, and Infantil categories, consolidating itself as one of the great references in international grassroots football. During these days, the 12 fields distributed throughout the island's municipalities have hosted more than 300 matches, with the participation of clubs from different parts of Spain and abroad, as well as a notable representation of the Canary Islands' youth academy.
The closing ceremony was attended by the President of the Parliament of the Canary Islands, Astrid Pérez; the Vice-president of the Government of the Canary Islands, Manuel Domínguez; the Minister of Education, Vocational Training, Physical Activity and Sports of the Government of the Canary Islands, Poli Suárez; the Vice-president of the Cabildo de Lanzarote, María Jesús Tovar; the Minister of Physical Activity and Sports of the Cabildo de Lanzarote, Juan Monzón; the Minister of Social Welfare and Inclusion of the Cabildo de Lanzarote, Marci Acuña; and the mayor of Arrecife, Yonathan de León, in addition to other institutional representatives from the island.
Roll of Honour of Lanzarote International Cup 2026
In the Infantil category, the podium of the Gold Phase was formed by Sevilla FC, champion of the tournament, Manchester City, runner-up, and CD Tenerife, which finished in third place. For its part, in the Silver Phase, the top three classified were San Bartolomé CF, champion; Charco Atlético Herbania, second; and CD Valeriana, third.
The Alevín category once again offered a very high level of competition. In the Gold Phase, the podium was made up of Real Betis Balompié, champion; FC Barcelona, second classified; and Valencia CF, third. In the Silver Phase, the teams that occupied the top positions were Veteranos del Pilar, champion; UD Las Zocas, runner-up; and CD Tinajo, third.
In Benjamín, the largest category and one of the most followed by the public, the Gold Phase concluded with Real Betis Balompié as champion, followed by Benfica and Betis Academy Chenet. In the Silver Phase, the top positions went to CD Inter Fuerteventura, champion; CD Orientación Marítima, second classified; and CD Marino, third.
Commitment to grassroots football
The Vice President of the Government of the Canary Islands, Manuel Domínguez, highlighted the commitment of the regional Executive "to the promotion of physical activity and sport among the youngest," a commitment that is materialized, among other initiatives, in support for tournaments such as the Lanzarote International Cup. Furthermore, he underlined the dimension achieved by the competition, which brings together outstanding clubs from the national and international scene and allows "to enjoy football, share experiences, and coexist with players from other places." In this regard, he pointed out that the growth experienced by the tournament in recent years demonstrates "why, edition after edition, it continues to earn a place among the benchmark competitions on the calendar."
For his part, the Minister of Sports, Poli Suárez, highlighted that the Lanzarote International Cup is a good example of the moment that sport is experiencing in the Canary Islands. "More and more competitions are betting on our islands, and more and more entities, clubs, and administrations are working together to make them possible," he stated. He also emphasized that a tournament of these characteristics is held on a non-capital island like Lanzarote, demonstrating that sport "continues to grow throughout the archipelago and generate opportunities in every corner of the Canary Islands to organize major sporting events."
The Vice President of the Cabildo of Lanzarote, María Jesús Tovar, assured that the Lanzarote International Cup is an event that arrived three years ago "and has stayed over time given its very high capacity for growth." "Lanzarote is an island that welcomes sport and tourism, and the Lanzarote International Cup precisely represents where we come from, where we are, and where we want to go: the union of football with coexistence and teams from all over the world who gather in our seven municipalities," she added.
Furthermore, the vice president greatly congratulated the organization, "as well as my colleague Juan Monzón, Minister of Physical Activity and Sports, for supporting this very important event."
Football, values, and inclusion
Throughout the competition, an atmosphere of camaraderie, respect, coexistence, and inclusion has been palpable, values that have been part of the essence of the Lanzarote International Cup since its inception.
The closing day also served to highlight the tournament's social commitment. Volunteers from the LanzaroTEA association and the protagonists of the documentary series Mi Lugar Favorito unfurled an orange banner on the playing field to send a message of support for inclusion, equal opportunities, and the visibility of visible and invisible disabilities, as well as neurodivergence. The action, developed with the collaboration of Adislan, reinforced Lanzarote International Cup's commitment to accessible and open sport for all people.
Furthermore, thanks to the collaboration of the Department of Social Welfare and Inclusion of the Cabildo de Lanzarote, this edition has featured an Orange Point, present at both the opening and here today, at the Ciudad Deportiva de Lanzarote, to offer guidance and support to people with disabilities or specific needs.
These initiatives are in addition to the various measures promoted by Lanzarote International Cup in terms of sustainability, in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Canary Agenda for Sustainable Development 2030. Among these are collaboration with the Arrecife Natura Association, a commitment to sustainable mobility, the use of reusable materials, the promotion of local suppliers, awareness-raising actions on neurodiversity with LanzaroTEA, and fundraising for social entities on the island.