‘The Robbie’ soccer tournament returns to Birchmount Stadium for championship games this weekend

The Robbie is back at Birchmount Stadium.

Started in 1967 and one of the largest youth soccer tournaments for charity in the world, the Robbie International Soccer Tournament had to take a two-year break due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

But on Sunday, July 3, southwest Scarborough’s Birchmount Stadium will once again indeed be “the home of The Robbie.”

Tournament championship games are slated for the stadium, at Birchmount and Kingston roads, from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on July 3.

The tournament itself kicks off with games starting on Friday, July 1, continuing through on Saturday, July 2, with Championship Day on Sunday. Girls and boys teams will be competing in age groups ranging from Under-13 to Under-18.

All of the boys Under-18 opening round games will be played at the Cherry Beach Sports Fields at 275 Unwin Ave.

While past tournaments have seen upwards of 250 teams from around the world taking part, this year’s Robbie tournament will see 88 teams competing this Canada Day long weekend. Continuing pandemic concerns and rules about international travel for youth sports teams have contributed to the lower numbers for 2022.

However, there will be three teams from Barbados taking part in the boys’ Under-18 tournament.

Championship games set for Birchmount Stadium on July 3 are the Under-15 boys at 9 a.m.; the Under-16 girls at 11 a.m.; the Under-16 boys at 2:30 p.m.; and the Under-18 boys at 4:30 p.m.

Since it’s inception, The Robbie has been raising funds for Cystic Fibrosis Canada. The tourney has raised close to $2 million to fund research into CF and to also raise awareness of the disease.

The tournament was named after Robbie Wimbs, the son of one of the tournament’s founders – John Wimbs. Organizers were meeting at John’s house when they heard the sound of his son Robbie being given treatment for his cystic fibrosis.

Cystic fibrosis is a genetic disorder, ultimately fatal, that makes breathing and digestion extremely difficult. 

For more information on the 2022 Robbie International Soccer Tournament, please go to https://therobbie.ca/