The Warwickshire Legends, a football team of care-experienced young people, has won the 2025 National Care Leavers' Championship Cup at the iconic Molineux Stadium.

Organised by the City of Wolverhampton Council's Reach Leaving Care Team in partnership with the Wolves Foundation, the six-a-side tournament brought together over 200 care-experienced young people aged 16–24 from across England.

The event offered a powerful platform for connection, empowerment, and celebration through sport. 

Warwickshire secured the title after a series of knockout matches, finishing with a win over Redcar and Cleveland in the final.

Teams travelled from places as Yorkshire and Milton Keynes to take part. 

Warwickshire County Councillor George Finch, Interim Leader and Portfolio Holder for Children and Families said: "We're so proud of our care experienced young people and all they achieve.

"Football has proven to be an asset; many of our young people particularly separated children without their families and who have endured challenging experiences.

"Engaging in sports and uniting as their own football family to represent Warwickshire has been an extremely positive experience for them. 

"This supports our commitment to providing bright futures for all care-experienced children and young people. We aspire to build a child friendly county where every child and young person can flourish and enjoy opportunities to thrive." 

The team has been training together since 2019 and continues to grow in strength and spirit. Their journey is a testament to the power of sport in building resilience, confidence, and community. 

Umar Teerab Warwickshire County Council Family Support Worker is the team's manager and coach.

Praising the players' development, he said: "It's amazing to see how far they've come.

"They've grown as a team, improved their skills, and built strong bonds. We always believed in them, and their recent win is proof of what hard work and belief can achieve." 

The event received national recognition, including praise in the House of Commons, where MP Warinder Juss celebrated the achievements of the young people and the organisations behind the tournament.  

The success of the Warwickshire Legends is a shining example of how local initiatives contribute to Child Friendly Warwickshire outcomes—ensuring young people are happy, healthy, and heard.