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Nottingham Forest Community Trust proudly hosted this year’s Premier League Kicks East Midlands regional qualifying tournament, welcoming teams from Leicester City, Derby County, Notts County, Mansfield Town, Chesterfield and Lincoln City to Gresham Sports Park in West Bridgford – just a stone’s throw from the Nigel Doughty Training Ground.

The event formed part of the regional qualifications for the Premier League Kicks Cup, an annual national tournament that brings together regional winners from across England and Wales to represent their clubs in a celebration of football, community, and opportunity.

With mixed under-16 boys’ teams and girls’ under-16 teams taking part, the competition is a major highlight of the Premier League Kicks calendar.

Each team in the tournament was made up of players who regularly attend Premier League Kicks sessions –  a national programme funded by the Premier League Charitable Fund and uses the power of football to engage young people in positive activity.

These regional qualifiers offered players a chance to pull on their club’s shirt and go head-to-head with other teenagers from across the region, with a place in this summer’s national finals at stake.

Both the mixed and girls’ tournaments were packed with excitement, showcasing the players’ skill, determination, and teamwork across all matches.

In the mixed competition, the group stage led to two closely contested semi-finals, with Chesterfield narrowly edging past Forest and Lincoln City overcoming Leicester City to secure their places in the final.

Lincoln City went on to lift the trophy after a thrilling victory over Chesterfield.

The girls’ tournament was equally competitive, with Forest coming out on top after a strong performance against Mansfield Town to book their place in the national finals.

When not on the pitch, players engaged in valuable off-field learning opportunities. Each team took part in a StreetDoctors first aid workshop, equipping young people with life-saving skills and increasing their awareness of how to respond in emergency situations.

Players also had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the Premier League trophy up close and have their photo taken with it.

This year’s event coincided with the Premier League’s No Room For Racism campaign window, adding further significance to the tournament.

All players took part in a powerful pitch-side workshop exploring the campaign’s core themes of equality, respect, and inclusion – led by former Nottingham Forest striker and current Professional Footballers’ Association Senior Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Executive Jason Lee.

Jason shared personal experiences from his career, spoke about the importance of navigating both positive and negative influences, and encouraged young people to stay true to their values.

He also answered questions from participants and later returned to the stage to help present medals and trophies, congratulating all teams on their achievements.

Oscar Ridley, Premier League Kicks Lead Coach at Nottingham Forest Community Trust, said: “The tournament was a fantastic opportunity for all the young people involved.

“Events like this really highlight what Premier League Kicks is all about. The programme gives participants the chance to represent their club, test themselves against teams from across the region, and grow both on and off the pitch.

“You could see how much it meant to them, and the level of teamwork and respect on display was outstanding.”

“We wish the very best of luck to Lincoln City in the mixed tournament and Nottingham Forest in the girls’ tournament as they head to the national finals later this year.”