Norwegian company TicketCo continues to build its profile in UK market

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While some traditions stay, football does continue to change in the modern world.

One area of the game which has undertaken a rapid technological transformation is the method in which supporters make purchases.

The technology available gives clubs new decisions to make, which would have been unheard of several years. For example, the choice to operate cashless stadiums.

Norwegian company TicketCo is embracing the idea of going cashless. The company works with clubs to increase revenue at stadiums by maximising sales and reducing overall costs.

This is all done via its payment platform which gives supporters easy access to purchase tickets, merchandise as well as food and beverages. Transactions can be made anywhere whether its online, inside the stadium or at the turnstiles. The scanning app technology cuts queues, which is increasingly important in this day and age.

TicketCo entered the UK market in 2017 and has partnered with clubs including Wycombe Wanderers, Kilmarnock, Macclesfield Town and Solihull Moors.

Benefits of going cashless include the reduction of time for sales, a lower security risk and a lower cost. Better data is also captured by the technology, which clubs can use.

The platform is available on both iOS and Android devices and gives organisers the chance to advertise offers before events occur.

Wycombe Wanderers have reported a 57% increase in supporters purchasing tickets online since they partnered with TicketCo.

Mark Palmer of Wycombe Wanderers told FC Business: “The TicketCo platform is fantastic and makes purchases so simple. It makes buying tickets so simple online, via mobile phones, the website and Facebook. It enables us to provide a better service to supporters and is helping the club grow.

“We’ve had a lot of success with the new TicketCo platform when it comes to fans buying tickets quickly and simply online or via the app. The cashless solution at the bars was the next step in our strategy and not only does it improve the experience for supporters, it also helps us process more transactions, so it is a win, win.”

It is a similar situation at Macclesfield Town where fans have gone from buying tickets in cash to online. National League side Solihull Moors partnered with TicketCo to help the club prepare for future growth.

“TicketCo has ticked all the boxes for us; a quick and trouble-free implementation that was easy to use and demonstrated immediate commercial benefit on increased sales, cash handling and cash flow,” said Chief Executive Calvin Barnett.

“Throughout last season it proved itself time and time again especially in our huge FA Cup and end of season games. It is fair to say without the platform we would have struggled to cope.

“Having now introduced merchandising to the platform we enter this season looking to make significantly more use of the features and functionality it provides to drive not just commercial revenues but a better all-round buying experience for all involved.”

UK Country Manager at TicketCo, David Kenny, said various clubs are buying into the advantages of the cashless technology.

He claimed: “More and more clubs are directly benefitting from the upsides of our cashless technology both in terms of improving revenue and the fan experience and we’re looking forward to further UK growth.”

That growth seems to be on its way as TicketCo continues to invest in its technology to support transitions to cashless stadiums.

“Next season we are due to introduce a card- reader that is so robust it even runs off-line if the network is down,” added David. “The technology will also provide a payment solution that eliminates the need to top-up apps and prevents the risk of customer data loss.”

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Premier League backs grassroots football in Singapore

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Image credit: Premier League

The NEXTGEN coach programme saw past legends and current coaches unite to deliver an activity intent on supporting grassroots football through high quality and inclusive coaching.

 

Creating new leaders

To reach the top in elite football requires tactical education, personal guidance and consistent support throughout the development journey.

Coaches therefore take on a great deal of responsibility for players seeking a top-flight dream.

Yet even for those who never make it to the top, there is always one coach who stands out. Not necessarily for the silverware achieved or results on the pitch, but for the way they helped build a person off the pitch to play better on it.

The Premier League’s NEXTGEN Coach programme in Singapore aims to equip coaches with the skills and knowledge to do exactly that: creating welcoming environments which nurture confidence and a love for the game.

“This will hugely benefit local coaches, providing them with expert training and skills that will cascade into the communities they coach in,” said Premier League Director of Community, Nick Perchard, via media release.

“After opening the League’s first international office in Singapore more than seven years ago, we are now building on our commitment to the country with a structured coach development programme.”

 

What does the programme include?

The programme initially saw Premier League coaches deliver training sessions to coaches from StarHub – the League’s broadcast partner in Singapore who engage with local community football.

Furthermore, the training was consolidated through stakeholder engagement events and talks from 150 students at the Institute of Technical Education about their careers in the game.

In total, the programme saw 30 coaches take part – all from diverse backgrounds selected by the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) to maximise community reach and positively impact as many young individuals as possible.

“Youth development is a key priority for FAS, and it starts at the grassroots level,” explained FAS General Secretary, Badri Ghent via media release.

“Coaches play a central role in shaping not just how young players learn the game, but how they experience it, building confidence, character and a lifelong connection to football.”

Through high quality programmes like NEXTGEN, grassroots football can grow to ensure future coaches and players are confident in themselves and their future roles in the game.

1200 players to descend on Geelong for Football Victoria Country Championships as Regional Football Enters New Era

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Image Credit: Football Victoria

More than 1,200 junior footballers from across regional Victoria will converge on Geelong this weekend for the 2026 Football Victoria Country Championships, with players representing eight regions competing across the King’s Birthday long weekend at Stead Park and Myers Reserve.

The tournament, which has been running since 1978 and has grown into one of the largest junior football events in the country, takes on additional significance this year. It marks the first Country Championships since Football Victoria announced a restructured regional football model in December 2025, making this edition an early measure of how that new framework translates into competitive outcomes at the representative level.

Sixty-seven teams will compete across Under-11 to Under-16 age groups for both boys and girls, with finals day scheduled for Monday. All fixtures and results will be available through the DRIBL app.

More than silverware

FV Regional Development Manager Lauren Stevens said the tournament represented something beyond the competitive results it produces.

“The Country Championships are an exciting opportunity for players from across regional Victoria to come together, represent their region and create lasting memories both on and off the pitch,” Stevens said. “This tournament has a rich history and continues to play an important role in bringing regional football communities together while providing players with the chance to experience a high-level representative environment and talent identification opportunity.”

That dual function is central to what makes the Country Championships structurally significant. For many players travelling to Geelong this weekend, a regional representative tournament is the highest level of football they have experienced. For some, it will be the environment in which they first come to the attention of Football Victoria’s technical staff and pathway programs.

The talent identification dimension carries particular weight at a moment when Football Victoria’s participation numbers are at record levels and the pipeline from community football to elite competition has never been more closely scrutinised. The 2025 Annual Report documented a 14 percent overall participation increase, with junior football among the fastest-growing segments. Tournaments like the Country Championships are where that growth begins to translate into representative opportunity for players who live outside metropolitan Melbourne.

Regional football in transition

The timing of this year’s Championships against the backdrop of Football Victoria’s regional restructure adds a layer of context that will be watched closely by administrators and clubs. The December 2025 announcement of the new regional model represented the most significant structural change to regional football governance in the state in some years, and the process of transitioning Life Members from regional associations into the Football Victoria honour roll at last month’s AGM reflected the scale of that change.

How the eight regions perform this weekend will offer an early indication of whether the restructured model is serving regional communities effectively.

The Corrie Koppen Fair Play Award, introduced last year to celebrate the life and legacy of the late Cornelius Koppen, adds a dimension to the competition that sits alongside the on-field results. The award is given to the region judged to have played and conducted itself in the spirit of the game, a recognition that how communities behave at a junior tournament is as meaningful as what they win.

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