Published
By Ashley Cox
After two action-packed event days at The Cliff and Old Trafford (in partnership with the Manchester United Foundation), our CPC Inclusion Cup finalists are all set for a Finals Day at St. George's Park, training base of the England national teams.
This year’s CPC Inclusion Cup has been building on the success of our previous work with the Manchester United Foundation charity, who strive to Engage, Inspire and Unite through the power of football and Manchester United Football Club itself. ⚽
In 2025, we collectively opened doors to The Cliff, a legendary training facility not open to the general public, where a number of colleges from across the Greater Manchester region competed with pride to be our inaugural CPC Inclusion Cup champions.
This year, we expanded the tournament to welcome students from both the North West and North East of England, as well as wildcard entrants from the Midlands, Halesowen College, who would fare extremely well in their CPC Inclusion Cup debut. 🏆
On Monday 2nd March, we were pleased to welcome students from the colleges below to The Cliff for our first set of fixtures:
Askham Bryan College
Bishop Auckland College
Eccles Sixth Form College
Gateshead College
Halesowen College
Hartlepool College
Tyne Coast College
York College
Then, on Friday 13th March, even more institutions joined the CPC Inclusion Cup football fun, as part of our second matchday:
Accrington & Rossendale College
Blackburn College
Cheshire College
Hopwood Hall College
Knowsley Community College
Nelson and Colne College
Oldham College
Preston College
St. Helens College
St. John Rigby College
Stockport College
Trafford College
Warrington & Vale Royal College
On both days, students were also treated to a special, behind-the-scenes tour of the Theatre of Dreams, Old Trafford stadium, while former United defender and Premier League title winner, Danny Simpson, was on hand to present the students' medals.
After successfully making it to the tournament's latter stages, teams from Cheshire College, Hopwood Hall College, St. Helens College and Trafford College will all be part of our big Finals Day, joining players from Halesowen College, Tyne Coast College, Hartlepool College and Gateshead College at the National Football Centre in St. George's Park on Friday 24th April.
Found within 330 acres of Staffordshire countryside, St. George's Park is intended as home to all 28 England national football teams, encompassing everything from the men’s and women’s senior XIs, to U17s-U21s, through disability and futsal squads.
Opened in 2012, this destination venue for elite English football has also hosted top level rugby union and league sides, plus club football heavyweights like Barcelona, Galatasaray and Monaco, with the complex housing no fewer than 14 elite outdoor pitches, including an exact replica of the Wembley Stadium surface, a full-sized, indoor 3G facility and a dedicated futsal arena.
By bringing our Inclusion Cup to another inspiring venue, CPC is underlining its firm commitment to Giving Back to education, providing priceless memories for SEND college students, while empowering them through physical activity and team bonding.
CPC is also looking forward to returning to The Cliff on Tuesday 28th April, as our first-ever, dedicated female football festival with the Manchester United Foundation kicks off. Read on to register for this upcoming, inclusive, Giving Back funded event.
🖱️ Connect with CPC on LinkedIn for updates on the Inclusion Cup Finals Day and our forthcoming female football festival.