Orange Cup 2026 Brings Youth Soccer to Reunion Island with 2,300 Competitors

Orange Cup 2026 kicked off Saturday, August 22, with nearly 2,300 young footballers registered across Reunion Island. The opening session ran from 8:30 to 11:30 at Mille Roches in Saint-André, one of several simultaneous pool-play venues launched that morning across the island. The competition covers U10 and U11 age brackets and runs through late November. Organized by Orange Reunion Mayotte, the Ligue Réunionnaise de Football (LRF), and airline partner French bee, the tournament moves through four distinct phases: pool play through October 17, sectoral finals from October 31 to November 14, and a regional final on Saturday, November 28, 2026. Nearly 189 teams entered. André Martin, General Director of Orange Reunion Mayotte, framed the event as more than a football competition. "Football can be a remarkable learning ground for young people," Martin said. "We are building a competition that pairs their passion for sport with awareness of responsible digital use." That dual purpose shapes the tournament's structure from the first whistle, not just at its conclusion. Educational workshops run parallel to match competition throughout the entire tournament cycle. Programming aligns with the French Football Federation's Educational Federal Program and addresses digital responsibility, screen time management, and cyberbullying prevention, alongside fair play and civic responsibility. The workshops are not a final-stage addition. They run alongside every phase. By contrast, the competitive stakes are straightforward. The winning team earns a trip to mainland France, provided through French bee. Karine Bonnal, Commercial Manager for French bee on Reunion, described the partnership as one that "allows young Reunionese to experience sports and educational adventure, with a culminating experience that opens new horizons for the victorious team." The LRF manages operational deployment across island sectors. LRF President Rosaire Moriscot called the event "an anticipated event for our island's young footballers." The federation coordinates with local clubs and handles licensing for young players across multiple territorial zones, a logistical undertaking that scales considerably when nearly 189 teams are involved. Pool play continues across the island's amateur football infrastructure through mid-October. Whether the integrated educational and competitive model holds up under that coordination pressure, across three organizations and dozens of clubs, is the question the coming weeks will answer.