Stormzy’s #Merky FC Cup Returns With New York World Cup Prize

#Merky FC’s flagship tournament is set to return.

#Merky FC, a football careers programme managed by Stormzy and sportswear giant  adidas, will host the #Merky FC Cup on May 31st.

The tournament will see teams of three compete against each other at #Merky FC’s home venue, Selhurst Sports Arena.

The winning team will be taken to New York City for this summer’s World Cup.

Stormzy said…

“the #Merky FC Cup is about creating opportunities for young people to come through, express themselves and show what they can do on a big stage.”

What is the #Merky FC Cup?

This year’s #Merky FC Cup will consist of the 3v3 tournament, which is open to anyone, alongside a youth tournament for under-16s and an exhibition match featuring yet-to-be-announced guests.

The winners of the 3v3 tournament will receive tickets to FIFA World Cup group-stage fixture between England national football team and Panama national football team on June 27th, with travel and accommodation provided by adidas.

This is the second time #Merky FC has hosted the tournament, with the 2024 edition restricted to youth teams only.

It is hoped that opening the event up to senior players, alongside offering a significant prize, will draw greater attention to both the tournament and #Merky FC’s wider community work.

What is #Merky FC?

#Merky FC was jointly founded by Stormzy and adidas in November 2022 with the aim of tackling racial inequality within English football.

At the time, only 6.7% of senior roles in English football were held by people identifying as Black or of mixed Black heritage.

Following the launch of the partnership, Stormzy said:

“We barely see any Black team managers, coaches, sports presenters, assistants, ops managers, sales managers, accountants, marketing managers or physiotherapists.”

Stormzy also spoke about the MERKY FC initiative:

“Through the #Merky FC initiative we hope to inspire real change within this field as part of the wider commitment to support racial equality in the UK.”

The initiative has since received support from Premier League clubs Manchester United F.C. and Fulham F.C., alongside broadcaster  Sky Sports.

Since its founding, #Merky FC has built a network of contacts across English and Scottish football.

The programme uses these relationships to provide young Black people pursuing careers in football with opportunities that those behind #Merky FC believe have historically been inaccessible.

Representation in English Football

Despite the work of initiatives such as #Merky FC, Black people remain significantly underrepresented in coaching and management roles across English football.

A 2023 report by sports economist Stefan Szymanski, commissioned on behalf of the Black Footballers Partnership, found that Black footballers are significantly less likely to move into coaching roles after retirement compared to their white counterparts.

The report found that only 4.4% of former players working in managerial positions were Black, alongside just 1.6% occupying leadership and ownership positions.

This came despite 43% of Premier League players and 34% of EFL players identifying as Black or of Black heritage in 2021.

The report also suggested that Black coaches may be disadvantaged by the growing trend of Premier League clubs promoting internally from academy systems or hiring from affiliated sister clubs.

It is feared that this limits opportunities for Black coaches attempting to build experience in lower leagues before progressing to elite-level football.

The #Merky FC Cup’s Wider Impact

#Merky FC operates as a non-profit initiative, with all money raised from tournament entries and ticket sales being reinvested into the partnership’s careers programme and affiliated community projects.

While the winners will receive what organisers are describing as “a once-in-a-lifetime experience”, a successful event may also contribute towards addressing some of the deep-rooted inequalities that continue to affect the English game.