Young footballers tackle Snowdon summit as Gothia Cup fundraising campaign continues

A group of young footballers tackled their steepest test of the season as they climbed Mount Snowdon in their latest fundraising activity.

Nine players from Wolverhampton Olympic Wanderers under 14s and their families scaled the Welsh mountain on Saturday, May 16, overcoming treacherous conditions to complete the climb.

It was the latest of a number of fundraisers completed by the team as they prepare to travel to compete in the Gothia Cup 2026, the world’s largest youth football tournament that is being held in Sweden in July.

“The boys, coaches, and families have officially completed their Snowdonia hike,” a post on the team’s social media account said. “The conditions were gruelling at times, and everyone had to dig deep, showing incredible grit, determination, and team spirit from start to finish.

It continued: “A huge thank you to everyone who has sponsored and supported us so far. We know times are tough for many people right now, so your generosity truly means a lot to us.

“There is still time to donate, with the fundraiser closing next Wednesday 20th. Every contribution, big or small, is hugely appreciated.”

The team’s GoFundMe page is closing in on it’s £2,000 target, which forms part of a wider aim to raise £7,000 to help the families cover the costs for the week-long tournament.

The individual costs per player will be well in excess of £1,500, a figure the club hope to lower as much as possible through various fundraising schemes which have included raffles and bucket collections.

Wolverhampton Olympic are a grassroots club with limited funding, but the under 14 Wanderers punch above their weight in the Midlands Junior Premier League, regularly pitting themselves against semi-professional football club academies from across the Midlands.

The Gothia Cup is an invite-only tournament, and Olympic will proudly represent the West Midlands after receiving their invite from Schulz Coaching.

Several famous footballers, including Zlatan Ibrahimović, Xabi Alonso, Andrea Pirlo, and Alan Shearer, played in the Gothia Cup as youth players, with Brazilian icon Kaka's son among the thousands of hopeful future footballers to feature there last year.