Comber-based company to deliver premium official merchandise collection ahead of this summer’s internationally renowned tournament
The Budget Energy SuperCupNI is delighted to announce Blackwater Graphics as its Official Merchandise Partner for the 2026 tournament.
The appointment will see the Comber-based company design, produce and retail the tournament’s official merchandise collection, enhancing the supporter experience while further strengthening the Budget Energy SuperCupNI brand.
Developed exclusively for the 43rd edition of the Budget Energy SuperCupNI, the collection gives players, families and supporters the opportunity to take home an official piece of one of the world’s leading international youth football tournaments.
The collection features an exclusive range of official uhlsport technical apparel, including adult and children’s T-shirts, hoodies and quarter-zip training tops.
This is complemented by a premium selection of Budget Energy SuperCupNI merchandise including trucker caps, bucket hats, bobble hats, rucksacks, mini footballs, water bottles, mugs, pennants, lanyards, fridge magnets, vinyl stickers and a lion teddy.
Founded by Andrew Johnston in 2007, Blackwater Graphics has grown into one of Northern Ireland’s leading specialist merchandise and apparel companies.
From its headquarters in Comber, the business has built a strong reputation for delivering premium retail collections for major sporting events, including the North West 200, alongside leading teams and competitors across British and Irish motorsport.
Andrew Johnston, Managing Director of Blackwater Graphics, said:
“We’re incredibly proud to be appointed Official Merchandise Partner of the Budget Energy SuperCupNI and to play our part in one of Northern Ireland’s biggest and most prestigious sporting events.
“This partnership represents a significant investment in both our business and the tournament experience. Working alongside uhlsport and the Budget Energy SuperCupNI team, we’ve developed a completely new official merchandise collection and will have a dedicated tournament merchandise truck based at Coleraine Showgrounds throughout tournament week, with official merchandise also available at key venues across the tournament, including the Girls’ Finals at Dixon Park, Ballyclare.
“From the official uhlsport apparel range to the wider collection of merchandise and souvenirs, every product has been designed with quality, innovation and attention to detail. We wanted to create a range that reflects the stature of the Budget Energy SuperCupNI while giving players, families and supporters something they’ll genuinely enjoy wearing and keeping long after the final whistle.“We’re looking forward to welcoming supporters throughout tournament week and seeing the collection become part of the Budget Energy SuperCupNI experience.“
Sam Gamble, Tournament Co-ordinator of the Budget Energy SuperCupNI, said:
“The appointment of Blackwater Graphics as our Official Merchandise Partner represents another important step forward for the Budget Energy SuperCupNI as we continue to enhance every aspect of the tournament experience.
“For more than four decades, we’ve built a reputation as one of the world’s leading international youth football tournaments, and we’re committed to ensuring that everything associated with the event reflects those same high standards.
“Blackwater Graphics has an outstanding track record of delivering premium merchandise for major sporting events and, working alongside uhlsport, brings the creativity, expertise and attention to detail needed to deliver a first-class official merchandise collection for the Budget Energy SuperCupNI.
“Whether you’re a player, coach, volunteer, family member or supporter, we want everyone who comes to the Budget Energy SuperCupNI to leave with unforgettable memories. This new collection gives people the opportunity to take home an official piece of the tournament and further strengthens the Budget Energy SuperCupNI brand both during tournament week and long after the final whistle.”
This year’s Budget Energy SuperCupNI will once again welcome some of the biggest names in world football to Northern Ireland, with elite academies including Manchester United, Liverpool, Rangers, Celtic, Tottenham Hotspur, Southampton, Sunderland, Leeds United and West Ham United among those confirmed to compete.
They will be joined by leading clubs from Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, county representative teams and international opposition from across Europe, North America, Asia, Africa and the Middle East, underlining the tournament’s status as one of the world’s premier international youth football competitions.
More than 1,200 players will compete in over 150 fixtures across five age groups during six days of elite competition, showcasing the next generation of footballing talent on pitches across Northern Ireland.
The 2026 Budget Energy SuperCupNI officially gets underway with the Welcome Parade and Opening Ceremony in Coleraine on Sunday 26th July, before concluding with the prestigious Boys’ Cup Finals at Coleraine Showgrounds on Friday 31st July.
The 2026 Budget Energy SuperCupNI is proudly supported by headline partner Budget Energy, alongside Tourism NI, Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council, Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council, Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, Sterling Insurance, Creagh Concrete, uhlsport, KLIR, IDS Accountants, Tesco, The Premier League, TrustFord, 247.tv and BuyTicketApp.
For more information on the Budget Energy SuperCupNI and to shop the official 2026 merchandise collection, visit www.supercupni.com
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For further information please contact:
AY.
Russell Lever
Mob: 07841676976
Email: russell@ay.studio
