This year’s Victory Shield competition will be staged in Scotland, it was announced today.
All six matches in the tournament are set to be played at Broadwood Stadium, a multi-use community stadium and sports complex in the Westfield area of Cumbernauld, North Lanarkshire.
The tournament featuring Under-16 Schoolboys international teams from Scotland, Wales and Republic of Ireland as well as Northern Ireland is due to be hosted by the Scottish Football Association from 8 October until 13 October.
Republic of Ireland are the shield holders. They won three out of three at last year’s tournament, which was staged in Wales.
The schedule for Victory Shield 2024 is as follows:
Tuesday 8 October
11:30 Scotland v Republic of Ireland
15:30 Wales v Northern Ireland
Thursday 10 October
11:30 Scotland v Northern Ireland
15:30 Republic of Ireland v Wales
Sunday 13 October
11:30 Northern Ireland v Republic of Ireland
15:30 Scotland v Wales
Northern Ireland’s Victory Shield team will be coached by Kris Lindsay (Irish FA/UEFA Academy Manager).
The annual Under-16 Schoolboys international competition is run by the Schools’ Association Football International Board. The Victory Shield was presented to SAFIB in 1947 to mark, as suggested by its title, victory by the Allies in World War II.
Northern Ireland have only won the shield twice – in 2000-01 and 2018-19 – since the current version was set up in the 1940s.
Broadwood Stadium is currently the home of Rangers Women, of the Scottish Women's Premier League, and Cumbernauld Colts, who play in the Scottish Lowland Football League.
Image: Glenn McCourt (number 17) is congratulated by his team-mates after he scored for Northern Ireland against Republic of Ireland in last year’s U16 Victory Shield tournament. The Republic’s Schoolboys won the game 3-1 and also won the overall competition.
