The Battle Youth National Championships, which represents one of the premier youth tackle football events in the nation, returns to The Palm Beaches from December 4-10, 2023. The Palm Beach County Sports Commission is partnering with the Village of Wellington in hosting this event at the Village Park Athletic Complex and Greenview Shores Park. The Battle Youth National Championship brings a week of the most competitive youth tackle football teams from more than 30 states. The Battle Youth National Championship is an elite playoff series that was created to provide a platform for non-all-star youth football teams to compete at a national level while crowing a true “National Champion” at every age group from 6U to 14U.
The Battle Youth National Championships is an invitation-only event with two separate divisions of competition (Division 1 and Division 2). Teams are guaranteed four games, with the top two teams in each division playing for a championship. The tournament-style football championship will take place at the Village Park Athletic Complex for round-robin, pool play, and the Wellington Community High School football stadium within Greenview Shores Park will be the championship games’ site.
This rare tournament-style youth tackle football event will feature approximately 140 teams consisting of nearly 5,000 athletes and 10,000 total attendees. The tourism impacts will be substantial. Last year, the event generated over $10 million in visitor spending and 13,705 lodging room nights. “The Palm Beach County Sports Commission is thrilled to partner with the Village of Wellington in hosting the Battle Youth National Championships.” This is a unique youth tackle football competition that represents a robust sports travel product. “The abundance visitors will create a significant rise in hotel occupancy. There are very few opportunities to host a single sporting event that will create a positive economic burst countywide.”
There was no way for a youth football team to contend for an undisputed National Championship, prior to 2017. League champions were determined, but never a true National Champion. However, in 2017, the youth football landscape changed. The Youth Football Championship (YNC) was formed by coaches, parents, and industry leaders to provide the best teams from across the nation a legitimate platform to compete for a coveted championship title. The YCN’s efforts led to this event, which provides the only platform for youth football teams to compete for a national title.
