Noor Persyn, Belgium Women’s Under-16s Captain and Jessica McGuinness, Northern Ireland Women’s Under-16s Captain
Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council is delighted to be hosting the visiting teams from the Women’s Under 16’s UEFA Development Tournament.
The mini tournament which took place from the 10th to 15th March brought together teams from Spain, Belgium, Iceland and Northern Ireland, in an exciting display of talent and competition.
The visitors have been taking full advantage of the Council’s first-class training facilities at Allen Park, Crumlin and Valley Leisure Centres, ensuring they are fully prepared for the sporting challenges ahead.
Off the pitch, the visiting nations have embraced the warm hospitality of Antrim and Newtownabbey, staying at three local hotels, enjoying the rich cultural experiences that the Borough has to offer. Their visit has also been a welcome boost to the local economy.
Noor Persyn, Belgium Women’s Under-16s Captain and Jessica McGuinness, Northern Ireland Women’s Under-16s Captain pictured with Deputy Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor Rosie Kinnear.
Jessica McGuinness, Northern Ireland Women’s Under-16s Captain, is a resident of Antrim and attends school at Edmund Rice College Glengormley.
Deputy Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor Rosie Kinnear commented:
“It is great to see yet another high-profile Women’s Football Tournament return to Northern Ireland and we are delighted that the visiting international teams chose to prepare, train and relax in our Borough.
"The Council is proud to host the teams and support them in their preparation for the tournament. Their decision to utilise our facilities underscores the outstanding reputation of our sporting infrastructure.”
Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council has hosted the Girls SuperCupNI tournament since its inception in 2022, reinforcing its commitment to supporting Girls’ sport.
Noor Persyn, Belgium Women’s Under-16s Captain, Deputy Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor Rosie Kinnear, Angela Platt, Director of Women’s Football and Jessica McGuinness, Northern Ireland Women’s Under-16s Captain
Players, Managers and Coaches from the participating teams joined the Deputy Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor Rosie Kinnear for a welcome reception at Mossley Mill.
The Deputy Mayor hosted a special welcome reception for the players, coaches, and managers of the participating teams, further extending Antrim and Newtownabbey's warm hospitality as the Host Destination for the Women’s UEFA Under-16s Development Tournament.
Angela Platt, Director of Women’s Football, Clare Carson, Northern Ireland Women’s Under-16s Assistant Coach, Deputy Mayor of Antrim and Newtownabbey, Councillor Rosie Kinnear, Jessica McGuinness, Northern Ireland Women’s Under-16s Captain and Julie Nelson BEM, Head Coach, Northern Ireland Women’s Under-16s
Angela Platt, Director of Women’s Football at the Irish Football Association, said:
“We would like to thank Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council for hosting our international visitors. We really do appreciate the Council’s support and we are confident the teams from Belgium, Iceland and Spain will enjoy their stay in both the Borough and Northern Ireland.
"The tournament will be a tough challenge for our young players but also an amazing opportunity to expose them to high quality competition and better prepare them for future international representation.”