Non-League and Academy football writer

The 2025/26 edition of the Somali British Champions League starts this weekend, in what is season seven of this prestigious tournament. In one of the first games of this season’s edition of the tournament, Hilltop face OIR, as two London based sides face each other at Ark Academy in Wembley on Sunday, in a group-stage fixture. The following piece is a bit of a preview of season seven of the SBCL, a tournament in which I will be covering on my blog from start to finish, during this season.

First of all I’d like to say thank you to Ahmed, from the SBCL, for letting me know the list of teams who will be competing in the tournament, for the 2025/26 season. There will be two groups of six in the tournament, with there being 12 teams competing this season, compared to ten teams during the previous 2024/25 season. In what promises to be another very interesting edition of the SBCL, 12 talented teams will try to reach the final (it is a knockout tournament after the group-stages) of the most prestigious Somali British football competition.

Last season it was Hilltop who won the tournament, courtesy of a closely contested 2-1 win over FC Olympia, in the final in Bristol. In doing so, Hilltop became the only side to win the tournament twice, as they created history in a highly competitive final with FC Olympia. The SBCL is covered brilliantly on social media, on many different platforms, and with big crowds attending the matches, it continues to go from strength to strength. I would like to wish all of the sides who are competing in season seven of the SBCL, all the very best of luck for the season ahead.

The teams who are competing in this season’s SBCL:

Cardiff Bay Warriors: Representing Cardiff, Wales, for this season’s tournament are a well established Cardiff Bay Warriors side. A great community football club, the winners of season three (2021/22) of the SBCL play their league football in the South Wales Premier League Championship Division. Cardiff Bay Warriors are currently in fourth place in their league table, after ten league matches played so far this season. The talented Cardiff Bay Warriors will be hoping to lift the SBCL trophy again, in 2026. 

FC Olympia: Birmingham based side FC Olympia were so close to winning the tournament for the first time, last time out. They showed real quality as a team in that final in Bristol, against Hilltop last summer, only just losing the final (it was their first time reaching the SBCL final). Olympia were the first team outside of London to enter the tournament, and this will be their seventh season competing in the SBCL. They will most definitely be looking to go one better than in the 2024/25 season, although they did ever so well last season.

Hilltop FC: Playing at step 5 of the non-League system in England, Hilltop are a very well known non-League club in London, who are having a fine season currently, in the Combined Counties Football League Premier Division North. They return once again for season seven of the SBCL, and this excellent footballing side will be looking to play their football to great effect over the course of this season’s tournament.

Newmont FC: West London side Newmont used to play in the Middlesex County Football League. However, the club that was founded in 2019, will be competing in their third SBCL, this season. They face Wood Lane, in a west London derby, next Sunday, and they will be looking to start this season strongly, in what promises to be a great game of football.

OIR FC: North London side OIR are currently playing their football at step 7 of the non-League system, for the third season. The club from Enfield are a real footballing side, who despite a bit of a difficult start to the Herts Senior County League Premier Division season, they will be really looking forward to getting going in the SBCL again this season. OIR reached the semi-finals stage of last season’s tournament, and they were winners of the previous 2023/24 season, which was fittingly won in north London, against Hilltop.

Phoenix FC: Bristol side Phoenix FC made a fine debut in the SBCL, last season. They will be looking to use their positive experiences from last season, to go again and potentially even further in the tournament. Phoenix play in a local league within Bristol, and I’ve heard good things about their team, and I am looking forward to seeing them play during this season.

Powerhouse FC: Manchester based side Powerhouse FC were founded in 2008. They won season four of the SBCL, in what was their debut season in the tournament. Another very good side, who are another contender for this season’s title, they will be hoping that 2026 will be the year that they reach the final, again.

Tawfiiq FC: Representing the north London boroughs of Camden & Islington, Tawfiiq FC play their football in the Premier Division of the Islington Midweek Football League. Having made a fine start to their league season, Tawfiiq FC are doing really well in their midweek league. This is their third season competing in the SBCL.

Tusaale FC: Tusaale FC are a Sheffield based side, who compete in a local league within Yorkshire. This will be their fourth season competing in the SBCL however, and with a lot of experience behind them in the tournament they will be looking to make it a really good season to remember. Tusaale FC have been going as a football club for several years now.

Showtime Mash FC: This will be Leicestershire based Showtime Mash FC’s debut season in the SBCL. Showtime Mash compete in local Sunday football in Leicestershire, and last season they reached the final of the Billy Walton Cup.

Southside FC: A south London football club, who had previously competed in the Islington Midweek Football League, Southside join the SBCL for the 2025/26 season. Having won the Tom Keane Memorial Trophy, they also finished in third place in the Premier Division of their former midweek league, last season, and Southside will undoubtedly bring great quality to the SBCL this season.

Wood Lane FC: Currently in their debut season in the Middlesex County Football League Premier Division (step 7), Wood Lane return to the SBCL for season seven. A west London club, Wood Lane have made a solid start to their first season in the Premier Division of the Middlesex County League. They are a youthful side, with a lot of talent in their squad. I’m looking forward to seeing how Wood Lane does, as they return to the SBCL for the start of this season.