BT Sport Pub Cup returns for 2018
Starting off in seven-a-side format, regional tournaments will take place at six football grounds across the UK, including Everton’s Goodison Park and Sheffield Wednesday’s Hillsborough.
The tournament will develop into an eleven-a-side affair at the semi-final stage before Leicester City’s King Power Stadium hosts the final – with teams reaching the flagship fixture being managed and coached by BT Sport pundits and former Welsh internationals Robbie Savage and John Hartson on the day.
The winning pub side will win a BT Sport subscription for a year as well as £5,000 worth of equipment for their pub.
Pub Cup fixtures
Thurs – 10 May 2018 - Loftus Road, QPR
Fri – 11 May 2018 - Goodison Park, Everton
Mon – 14 May - The Hawthorns, West Bromwich Albion
Tues – 15 May - Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth
Wed – 16 May - Easter Road, Hibernian
Thurs – 17 May - Hillsborough, Sheffield Wednesday
Sun – 20 May – semi Finals - St George’s Park, FA Headquarters
Sat – 2 June – final - King Power Stadium, Leicester City
BT Sport’s director of commercial customers Bruce Cuthbert said: “We were overwhelmed by the success of the BT Sport Pub Cup last year and I’m delighted that it is returning bigger and better in 2018.
“Pubs are at the heart of their community and we want to help them thrive by giving their football teams the chance of a Premier League experience and to give something back to their local.
“We will be promoting this tournament across the BT Sport channel and social media platforms together with a national marketing campaign encouraging as many teams as possible to get to their local, speak to their landlord and sign up!”
Last season’s tournament was won by a team representing Liverpool’s Liver Vaults pub – who beat a team from Hatfield, Herfordshire’s Great Northern pub 2-0 at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium.
Billy Wynne, chairman of the Liver Vaults, said: “Being involved in last year’s Pub Cup was brilliant, the lads in the team loved representing the pub and everyone else from the pub was along for the ride supporting them.
“To play at Goodison Park in our own city was special, especially for the lads in the team who are Blues supporters.
“The final itself at the Emirates was a fantastic experience for everyone involved and we were so thrilled that the team won, they did themselves and everyone at the pub proud. The pub is a real hub of the community and getting everyone together from the team along with friends and family to celebrate was brilliant – the trophy is proudly displayed behind the bar at the pub."
Teams wanting to enter and to find the nearest BT Sport pub can find more information at www.btsport.com/pubfinder.
