On Thursday 16th July 2026, the Trust proudly hosted its inaugural Corporate World Cup at the Meriden Community Centre, bringing together the local business community for a fantastic day of football, team building and celebration of the World Cup spirit.
The tournament welcomed fifty players across six teams, with representatives from Allwyn UK, Nando’s Stevenage, Bugler, Hillier Hopkins, Watford FC/Watford FC’s Community Sports & Education Trust, and our Man On team taking to the pitch. Following an exciting group stage, the top four teams progressed to the knockout rounds, where the standard of football and competitive spirit were on full display.
The final saw Watford FC/Trust face Hillier Hopkins in a closely contested match that was ultimately decided by a dramatic penalty shootout. Congratulations to Hillier Hopkins, who held their nerve to become the inaugural Corporate World Cup Champions.
This event would not have been possible without the incredible support of our host sponsor, Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, whose partnership helped make the day such a success.
A huge thank you also goes to our catering sponsors Nando’s Watford Met Quarter, who kept everyone fuelled throughout the day with their legendary PERi-PERi chicken wraps and delicious chips, and The Drinking Water Company, who ensured every player stayed hydrated with their high-quality bottled water.
We’d also like to recognise the fantastic support from other local businesses. Axtion Technology provided interactive digital sports games, adding to the day’s entertainment, while the White Lion Pub proudly sponsored the Trust’s Man On football team, enabling them to take part in the competition. Thanks also to Unit Vii for providing a dinner for four voucher.
We’d also like to thank Exceed Giving for providing the silent auction platform, helping us raise additional funds to support the Trust’s work across the local community. We’re also delighted to announce that our silent auction, which was previously exclusive to the organisations taking part in the event, is now open to the public. The auction will close at 9.00am on Monday, giving everyone the opportunity to bid on a fantastic range of prizes while supporting the Trust’s work across the local community.
The inaugural Corporate World Cup was a brilliant celebration of community, collaboration and friendly competition. We’d like to thank every player, team, volunteer and sponsor for helping make the event such a memorable occasion.
Together, the event not only strengthened relationships between local businesses but also raised valuable funds that will enable the Trust to continue delivering life-changing programmes across our community. We look forward to welcoming everyone back for an even bigger and better Corporate World Cup next year!
Thank you to everyone who has supported our inaugural Corporate World Cup. We can’t wait to see you again next year!
To find out more about our corporate offer, contact James.Isaac@watfordfctrust.com
To enter the silent auction, visit: https://app.goinggone.io/corporate-world-cup-2026/lots
With thanks to our sponsors
