Queen’s Park Sharks won the Camden Youth League Under-12s Summer ‘A’ Cup

THE final-day drama didn’t disappoint on Saturday as a series of summer youth football tournaments held in the heart of Bloomsbury came to an end.

There was tough tackling, tremendous teamwork, great goals, suspenseful penalty shootouts and even a hat-trick hero during the last Camden Youth League Summer Cup of 2026, which was staged at Coram’s Fields.

Having battled their way to the final of the Under-12s “A” Cup competition, it took penalties to separate Queen’s Park Sharks and Gladstone Park Rangers.

Priory Park FC won the Under-12s Summer ‘B’ Cup. Below: Priory’s Christian Ritchie, who was player of the match in the final after hitting a hat-trick

In the end, it was the Sharks squad celebrating after they won the shootout to snap up the silverware.

There was some consolation for Gladstone Park Rangers, though, as their winger Imran El-Ghaoubar was voted player of the tournament.

The “B” Cup final didn’t prove quite as close, largely thanks to Christian Ritchie’s clinical eye for goal.

European Football Academy (EFA), who were the Summer ‘B’ Cup runners-up

The hotshot hit an unstoppable hat-trick to help guide Priory Park FC to victory over European Football Academy (EFA) despite having a player sent off when the game was still goalless.

Benjy Saini was also on target as Priory Park ran out 4-0 winners.

Sharing details of his goal-getting feat, match-winner Ritchie said: “My first goal was a tap-in, which I’m very proud of.

‘A’ Cup runners-up Gladstone Park Rangers. Below: Rangers winger Imran El-Ghaoubar, who was voted player of the tournament

“Then for my second I sped past a player and slotted the ball into the bottom corner; and I did the same thing for my third goal. It felt good.”

After receiving sponsorship to the tune of £3,000 from global fintech company GoCardless, organisers from the Camden Youth League hosted six cup days at Coram’s Fields this summer, ranging from Under-7s right up to Under-12s.

Tournament organiser Abul Koyar said: “The standard on show over the summer has been really good. The cups really are the pinnacle of our football calender; they give everyone the chance to see the players at their competitive best.”