Twelve months ago, Navan Town Cosmos flew home from the Verona Cup with a lump in their throats. They’d reached the semi final without conceding a single goal, then lost on penalty kicks. Gutting doesn’t really cover it.
So when the girls U14 (2013) squad returned to Lake Garda this October, there was only one thing on their minds. Win it.
And that’s exactly what they did.
Unfinished Business in Italy
This was Navan Town Cosmos’ second trip to the Verona Cup, one of the most popular youth soccer tournaments in Europe, and the girls arrived with a point to prove. Same tournament, same lake, but a very different mindset.
They opened with a 4-1 win over KLG, then followed it up with a 3-1 win against Vonsild FK from Denmark. Next came a 4-0 win over OKS and a 3-0 win in the return game with KLG. Four games played, four wins, and the team was already looking like the one to beat.
The Results
| Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Match 1 | KLG | 4-1 win |
| Match 2 | Vonsild FK (Denmark) | 3-1 win |
| Match 3 | OKS | 4-0 win |
| Match 4 | KLG | 3-0 win |
| Semi final | OKS | 7-2 win |
| Final | Vonsild FK | 3-1 win |
Six matches in three days. Six wins. 24 goals scored and just 5 conceded. For a team that had lost a semi final on penalties the year before, it was about as complete a response as you could ask for.
Semi Final and Final
The semi final was a rematch with OKS, and this time there was no drama. Navan Town Cosmos ran out 7-2 winners and booked their place in the final.
Then came Wednesday afternoon and a final against Vonsild FK, the same Danish side they’d beaten earlier in the week. Vonsild weren’t going to make it easy, but the girls held their nerve and finished the job with a 3-1 win. Unbeaten in the tournament and Verona Cup champions.
Not bad for a group of girls who’d been dreaming about it for a year.
What the Parents Said
It wasn’t just the players who loved it. One of the parents who travelled with the team from Ireland put it like this:
“Our team travelled from Ireland and had a brilliant time! So safe, so much activity on site and a very well run entertainment schedule. Team buses all ran on time to our pitch locations and staff were so friendly. Also, delighted to have WON the Girls u14’s 11:11 Verona Cup 2026!!! Would highly recommend!!!”
Life at Bella Italia
Football is the reason teams come to the Verona Cup, but ask anyone who’s been and they’ll tell you the atmosphere around the tournament is a big part of it.
Camping Bella Italia is the heart of the whole event, and the matches are played on pitches a short drive away. Between games there’s always something going on. The tournament kicks off with a big opening ceremony where every team is presented, and over the week there’s an e-sports competition on the main stage, a tournament TV studio running highlights and player interviews, evening entertainment, and a quiz night for coaches and parents. It all finishes with an alcohol free disco party and a huge fireworks display over Lake Garda.
The tournament app keeps everyone up to date with match times and meeting points, which makes life a lot easier for coaches and managers.
For teams that want to see a bit more of Italy, there are optional extras too. Gardaland theme park is just down the road, you can take a trip into Verona itself (yes, the Romeo and Juliet one), and it’s even possible to add a Serie A or Serie B match to the trip.
Players get to compete hard, then relax with teams from all over Europe. That mix is hard to beat.
What the Navan Town Cosmos Package Included
Like every DB Sports Tours trip, the whole thing was organised so the coaches and players could just concentrate on soccer. The package included:
- 4 nights accommodation at Camping Bella Italia
- Half board, with breakfast and dinner every day
- Return airport transfers
- Transport to and from every match
- Tournament registration for players and coaches
- A minimum of 4 games per team
- Opening ceremony and closing ceremony with fireworks
- An online booking form and optional monthly instalment payments
No chasing buses, no confusion about fixtures. Just turn up and play.
Why the Verona Cup Works for Teams from Ireland and the USA
The team behind the Verona Cup has more than 30 years of experience running youth soccer tournaments, and it shows. The organisation is smooth, there are organisers, health staff and paramedics on site throughout, and the competition is properly strong.
The 2026 tournament welcomed 146 teams from 8 different countries, with competition for both girls and boys aged 10 to 19. That means whether you’re bringing a girls U13 side, a boys U15 team or an older group, there’s somewhere for you to play. And because teams come from right across Europe, your players face styles of play they just won’t see in their local league back home.
It’s also an easy trip to organise. Lake Garda is well served by airports, the tournament is compact, and everything happens in one place.
Exclusive Irish Partner of the Verona Cup
If you’re an Irish club planning a youth soccer tour to Italy, here’s something worth knowing. DB Sports Tours is the exclusive partner for the Verona Cup in the Irish market.
That means Irish clubs, academies and schoolboy and schoolgirl teams get access to the tournament through a team that knows it inside out. We know the venues, we know the schedule, and we can build a package around your squad. Clubs from England and the USA are welcome to get in touch too, and we’ll help where we can.
Book the Verona Cup 2027
Bookings are now open for the Verona Cup 2027, which takes place at Lake Garda next October.
If your club, academy or school team is looking for an international soccer tournament that mixes serious competition with a proper team trip, we’d love to help. Packages can be tailored to your numbers, your dates and your budget, and we can look after flights, transfers, accommodation, meals and tournament entry in one place. The earlier you book, the more time you have to plan and spread the cost.
Navan Town Cosmos have shown what a week at Lake Garda can do for a team. Maybe yours is next.
Ready to enter the Verona Cup 2027? Contact Us today for information
