Rotterdam
Rotterdam is a working port city where football is played after the shift ends. In 2027 the MCC Major Champions Cup brings a tournament here, split over North, East and South grounds with room for up to 128 amateur teams apiece. Five-a-side and futsal sides from both banks of the Maas can enter, and each ground's winner takes $20,000 to the Dutch championship.
Three grounds, three champions
Two halves of 15 minutes on a stop clock. Every team plays three group matches in a group of four, and the top two go into the playoffs, where a tie level after two halves goes to penalties. Five weeks of football on each ground leave Rotterdam with three Pitch Champions, and each goes straight to the Country Championship.
North Rotterdam
64 to 128 teams · $20,000 to its Pitch Champion
East Rotterdam
64 to 128 teams · $20,000 to its Pitch Champion
South Rotterdam
64 to 128 teams · $20,000 to its Pitch Champion
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A port city that plays on any surface
Feyenoord and De Kuip define the city's football for most people, but the daily game is smaller. Rotterdammers play futsal in sports halls, kick around on street courts in Delfshaven and Charlois, and fill artificial pitches at clubs after work. The city has a reputation for straight talking and hard running, and its small-sided teams tend to match it.
Evening leagues have taught Rotterdam teams the essentials already. MCC asks for a squad of nine at most, a group of four where everyone meets everyone, and two 15-minute halves against a stop clock, which makes for a tight, quick format.
North, East and South across the Maas
The river splits Rotterdam, and the grounds respect that. North Rotterdam covers the districts north of the centre, including the areas around Blijdorp and Noord. East Rotterdam serves the eastern neighbourhoods such as Kralingen and Prins Alexander. South Rotterdam sits across the Maas and covers Charlois, Feijenoord and nearby districts, reached by the metro, by tram or over the bridges.
Each ground runs a full Pitch Round, so a team simply picks the one nearest home. The plan is a venue per ground, arranged under the MCC pitch owner programme and shown on this page when its agreement is in place, so look here before you register.
Rotterdam in April and May, then the Dutch final
Rotterdam plays its group games over the weekends of 9 to 11 April, 16 to 18 April and 23 to 25 April 2027. Knockout rounds begin on 30 April, and each ground closes with its final on 9 May. With the North Sea close by, expect a fresh breeze, changeable skies and modest temperatures even when the afternoon stays dry.
Every Rotterdam Pitch Champion heads to the Netherlands Country Championship, 28 to 30 May 2027, where Amsterdam's winners wait. After that the tournament moves to the continental stage and ends with the World Final on 7 July 2027, worth up to $5,000,000.
What sets this tournament apart from a Rotterdam cup
Local cups here are usually one-day events with a trophy and a drink afterwards. The MCC tournament runs from 9 April to 9 May, applies one published format at every ground and offers USD 19.05 million in prizes across the world. Entry is for amateur teams only, with a Team License and a named Team President for each side.
The road out of Rotterdam
- 01 · 9 Apr - 9 May 2027
Pitch Round
Groups of four on every pitch, three group matches each. The top two of every group go into the playoffs, and penalties settle a level playoff tie.
$20,000 - 02 · 28-30 May 2027
Country Championship
The Pitch Champions of each country play for the national title: two halves of 15 minutes, a league table, then the playoffs.
$150,000 - 03 · 2027
Continental Championship
Country Champions compete within their region for a place on the world stage.
$500,000 - 04 · 7 Jul 2027
World Championship
A five-team mini-league, then the World Final: two halves of 15 minutes, penalties if level. One MCC World Champion.
$5,000,000
Questions from Rotterdam
How does a team enter MCC in Rotterdam?
Register on this site and pick one of Rotterdam's three grounds: North Rotterdam, East Rotterdam, South Rotterdam. One Team License per team: USD 1,200 for one year until 1 March 2027 (then 2,500), or 5,000 for three years. Payment and KYC verification follow the application.
When does the tournament start in Rotterdam?
The Pitch Round runs 9 April to 9 May 2027 on all three Rotterdam grounds. The group matches are played on 9-11, 16-18 and 23-25 April, the playoffs from 30 April, and each ground's final on 9 May. Pitch Champions go straight to the Country Championship on 28-30 May 2027.
How many teams can play in Rotterdam?
Up to 384: each of the three grounds takes up to 128 teams, and each needs a minimum of 64 to run its round. A full ground puts an entry on its waitlist instead of turning it away.
What can a Rotterdam team win?
$20,000 per Pitch Champion, $150,000 for the Netherlands title, $500,000 continental and $5,000,000 for the World Champion - plus championship rings from Country level up.
Can a Rotterdam team that plays futsal enter?
Yes. Futsal and zaalvoetbal sides are welcome so long as they are amateur and field five to nine players. Matches follow MCC's own rules rather than a futsal league's, so read them on this site ahead of the first group game.
I live in Rotterdam-Zuid. Which ground should we pick?
South Rotterdam is the ground for teams on the south bank, so you avoid crossing the Maas on match days. Every ground runs a full Pitch Round, so nothing is lost by choosing the nearest one.
Does a Rotterdam team need a club behind it?
No. A team can be a club side, a workplace group or a friends' team. It does need a Team President named on the entry and one Team License, and every player is bound by the conduct policy.
What happens after we win our Rotterdam ground?
The ground winner collects $20,000 and moves directly to the Netherlands Country Championship, 28 to 30 May 2027. The Amsterdam champions are there as well, and whoever takes the national title continues to the continental stage.
Also hosting in Netherlands
Nearby in Europe
Claim a pitch in Rotterdam
One Team License per team, for one year or three years. Squads of up to 9 are built in the MCC app after licensing. Registration takes the team, its coach and its Team President.
- USD1,200One year
- 5,000Three years