Folkestone Nepalese Community FNC Football Tournament 2026
12
Years
Since Our Last Tournament
Folkestone Nepalese Community

FNC Football Tournament 2026

After 12 years, football returns to Folkestone. A day bringing together players, families, friends and the wider Nepalese community.

12 September 2026
Saturday
8:30 AM Onwards
Register Your Team Read Rule Book
FNC Football Tournament 2026 Event Poster
Click poster to view full size
Event Information

Tournament Details

Everything you need to know before tournament day.

Date
Saturday
12 September 2026
Start Time
8:30 AM
Onwards
Venue
The Stadium
Football Pitches
CT19 5JU
Location
Folkestone
Organised By
Folkestone Nepalese Community
Registration
Team Registration
Team managers and captains are responsible for ensuring their teams arrive on time and are ready at their designated pitch.
12

Football Is Back

It has been 12 years since the last FNC football tournament. This year's event is more than a competition. It is a chance for the community to come together, reconnect and celebrate the return of football in Folkestone.

FNC Football Tournament 2026

Team Registration

Complete the official registration form for your team.

FNC Football Tournament 2026

Tournament Rule Book

Official rules and regulations for all participating teams and players. Please read the rules carefully before registering and attending the tournament.

Governing Laws

Except where described below, all matches will be played in accordance with the Laws of the Game laid down by the Football Association Board and published by FIFA.

01 Team Categories, Participation and Entry Fee
  1. Main Teams – Players must be over the age of 18 years.
  2. Veteran Teams – Players must be over the age of 36 years.
  3. Super Veterans Teams – Players must be over the age of 50 years.
  4. All players are entitled to play for only one team and one category.
  5. Entry Fees: Youth – £250; Veterans and Super Veterans – £200.
  6. Registration: Registration must be done via www.fncuk.org/football2026 .
02 Teams and Players

Team Composition

  1. All teams consist of nine players during the match including a goalkeeper on the pitch at any one time.
  2. A maximum of two Non-Nepalese Origin players are allowed on the team.
  3. Five substitutes are allowed in a team, giving a maximum squad size of 9 + 5 = 14 players.

Player Registration

All players MUST be strictly registered on the entry form before the tournament begins.

Players who are not registered will not be allowed to play for a team.

Teams who substitute unregistered players will be automatically disqualified and will no longer participate in the tournament. The remaining teams in the pool will then compete against each other.

Substitutions

Substitution may take place at any time when the ball is out of play. Rolling substitution is allowed.

A player who has been dismissed by the referee for gross misconduct or other reasons cannot be substituted.

Referees are to be informed before substituting players.

03 Players' Identity
ORIGINAL PHOTO ID IS COMPULSORY

All players MUST bring a form of original photo ID including their date of birth (D.O.B.).

Accepted Identification

  • UK Driving Licence
  • British Passport
  • UK Provisional Driving Licence
  • MOD / British Army ID
  • Nepalese Passport with a valid date

The player MUST be able to produce an original identification when asked by the organising team, referee or governing body on the day.

Failure to do so will result in the player being disqualified from their team.

The organising committee team will strictly check identification on the day, so players MUST bring their IDs with them.

The committee reserves the right to alter or vary any of the rules of the competition at any time for any reason if, in the opinion of the committee, doing so is in the best interest of the majority of participants in the tournament.
04 Team Pools
  1. Team pools will be clearly displayed in the Control Tent according to the team draw which takes place before tournament day.
  2. An announcement will be made five minutes before each match to ensure teams are at their designated pitch to commence their game on time.
  3. It is the responsibility of team captains/managers to regularly check their team's game schedule and ensure that their teams report on time.
  4. Any team turning up five minutes late for their match after being informed will have their game forfeited. The other team will be declared the winner and automatically gain three points.
  5. Any changes to match timings for reasons beyond our control will be announced and all team captains/managers will be informed.
  6. If a team withdraws from a pool league, their name will be deleted and all their matches declared null and void. The remaining teams in that pool will continue to play as per the match fixture.
05 Match Decisions and Timings

Group Stage

The group stage will be run on a league basis for each category. Teams are drawn into groups of four and three and the qualifying competition is played in accordance with the league system.

3 Points for a Win
1 Point for a Draw
0 Points for a Defeat

Match Duration

Matches will be played for 12.5 minutes each way, with a five-minute half-time interval.

There will be no extra time except for the final, as specified below.

Knockout Qualification

The winner and runner-up of each group will go through to a straight knockout stage for the pre-quarter, quarter-final and semi-final stages.

In the event of a tie, goal difference will be considered to make a decision for further stages.

If this procedure does not produce a result, this will be decided on penalty kicks as stated below.

Extra Time

There will be NO EXTRA TIME in:
  • League matches
  • Pre-quarter finals
  • Quarter finals
  • Semi-finals
Extra time will only be implemented in the final, and this will be five minutes each way.

Penalty Kicks

  1. Penalty kicks will only be taken to decide matches in the pre-quarter finals, quarter finals, semi-finals and final.
  2. Penalty kicks must be shot from the marking spot.
  3. All players are to assemble at the halfway line when taking penalties. Only the player called out by the referee is to move forward to take the penalty.
  4. Three nominated players from each team will take the penalty.
  5. Any player in the team can take a penalty provided that they are in the field of play at the completion of the game. Players who remain substitutes at the completion of the game will not be allowed to take the penalty.
  6. If this fails to decide a winner, the sudden death rule will apply.
There will be NO OFFSIDE rule in this tournament.

Walkover

A walkover, if a team is late, will award the other team three points and a goal advantage.

Group Stage Tie-Breaker

If there is a tie after the group stage, goal difference will dictate which team will go through to the knockout stages.

Failing that, the team with the highest goals scored will progress through to the next round.

06 Conduct / Discipline – On and Off the Pitch

Team captains/managers are reminded that inappropriate use of language on and off the pitch will not be tolerated.

Appropriate actions will be taken against those found to be in breach of this rule.

Anyone, whether a player or a team, found to be displaying unsportsmanlike conduct and disrupting a game will be disqualified from taking any further part in the tournament.

Depending upon the severity of the conduct, team(s) may also be banned from entering any future tournaments.

Red Cards

A player who has been sent off (Red Card) will be suspended for the next following game.

If a further red card is awarded to the same person, then the player will no longer be allowed to participate in the tournament.

Yellow Cards and Technical Offences

Players awarded two yellow cards, or other technical offences, will miss one game and may be reinstated at the discretion of the Decision Committee team after having given regard to the referee's report.

ZERO TOLERANCE FOR FIGHTS OR ASSAULTS

Any team or player(s) involved in fights or assaults will be informed to the police, and both teams will be disqualified immediately.

Team captains/managers are expected to display a high degree of control and leadership over their teams throughout the tournament.

07 Complaints / Disputes / Protest

Referees and Match Officials

The referee will be the sole judge of timings for matches and the decision will always be final.

ZERO TOLERANCE FOR CHEATING

Protest will be accepted at any time during the tournament. However, if any team wishes to protest regarding age, they must flag this up before the match starts.

Age Protest Procedure

If teams want to protest, the Manager and Captain from the protesting team and the Manager and an individual from the other team must come to the Control Point.

If the individual is found at fault after checking their original document, the team will be automatically disqualified and the entry fee will not be refunded.

Complaints and Disputes

Any complaints/disputes arising in between and during games will be handled by the decision of the Organising Committee Team.

Team captain/managers are to lodge their complaints or disputes at the Control Tent.

Any complaints/disputes from individual players will not be accepted.

Consultation and advice of the match referee will be taken into account.

The FA rules will apply, but the tournament organising committee's decision can override some rules that may suit the safe and fair running of the tournament.

All complaints are to be made to the organising committee team, whose decision will be final.

The committee team will not accept any complaints relating to the referee's decisions.

The committee shall have the power to deal with any matters arising that are not provided for in these rules.

Declaration and Disclaimer

Team Manager/Captain must sign the team entry declaration form to declare on behalf of the team that the organisers shall not be liable for any injury, accident, loss or damage in consequence of the team's participation in this event.

The Manager/Captain must also declare that all players are medically fit on the day of the event and obey the game rules.
08 Players' Kit & Equipment

Player Safety

A player must not use equipment or wear anything that is dangerous to himself or another player, including any kind of jewellery.

Jewellery must be removed before the game.

Compulsory Equipment

The basic compulsory equipment of a player is:

  • Jersey or shirt
  • Shorts
  • Socks
  • Shin guards
  • Appropriate footwear for local conditions and the playing surface

Shin guards must be covered entirely by the socks.

The goalkeeper is permitted to wear long trousers. Each goalkeeper must wear colours which clearly distinguish them from the other players.

Colour Clashes

All participating teams are strongly advised to bring a second set of colours in case of a colour clash.

In the event of a colour clash, the referee will toss a coin to decide who is to change colours or wear bibs.

09 Tournament Prizes

All the prizes and trophies will be presented after the final games.

Winners

Main: Cup, Cash, Medals and Certificates.

Veteran and Super Veterans: Cash, Medals and Certificates.

Runner-Up

Cash, Medals and Certificates.

Individual Awards

  • Top Scorer – Trophy
  • Man of the Match – Trophy
  • Best Goalkeeper – Trophy

Tournament Committee Team, in liaison with the nominated guests and pitch controllers, will decide the best player of each category.

Tournament Cancellation

Should inclement weather preclude the tournament from being held on the day, another date will be re-scheduled for the tournament.

If this is not feasible, all entry fees will be refunded to participating teams.

10 Alcohol Consumption
PLAYER FITNESS AND SAFETY

All players are strongly advised not to consume any alcohol 24 hours prior to playing.

Individuals will be automatically disqualified if they are found to be intoxicated or otherwise incapable of playing safely, to avoid confrontation and injuries during the tournament.

Team managers are requested to monitor their own players throughout the tournament.

Good Luck to All the Teams

We look forward to welcoming everyone back for the return of FNC football after 12 years.