2026 McCartney Invitational

The McCartney Invitational Tournament in Taupō is a highlight of the youth football calendar. As many of you know, this tournament is heavily oversubscribed every year. While HBCAFC handles the formal entry, all aspects of the tournament—including travel, accommodation, and on-the-ground management—are run by the individual teams that enter.

Tournament Grades & Eligibility

The McCartney Invitational is open to the following Junior and Youth grades for 2026:

Boys / Mixed Grades

Grade 9 (7v7)

Grade 10 (9v9)

Grade 11 (9v9)

Grade 12 (11v11)

Grade 13 (11v11)

Grade 14 (11v11)

Grade 15 (11v11)

Girls-Only Grades

Grade 10 (7v7)

Grade 12 (9v9)

Grade 14 (11v11)

Action Required: Deadline 20th April

If your team is interested in attending, your Coach or Manager must email manager@hbcafc.org.nz no later than Monday, 20 April.

We must receive your internal expression of interest by this date so the club can complete the official registration on the Taupō AFC portal before their hard deadline of 24 April.

Important Tournament Details

• Entry Fee: The registration fee per team for 2026 is payable to HBCAFC before the tournament.

• Team Management: Teams are responsible for their own logistics.

• Limited Spaces: Entry is not guaranteed. Taupō AFC operates a strict limit on grades and maintains a waitlist for oversubscribed brackets.

How the Process Works

1. Notify the Club: Email us by 20 April.

2. Club Entry: HBC AFC will register the interested teams via the Taupō Friendly Manager portal.

3. Login Access: Once registered by the club, team managers will receive (or can reset) their login to the Taupō AFC portal to manage their specific team roster and details.

Questions? Please contact our Club Manager at manager@hbcafc.org.nz.