Loyalty, a defining hallmark of the Donosti Cup

Over the years, the Donosti Cup has built more than just an international youth football tournament — it has created a community. This is clearly reflected in participation data from recent editions, which confirms a strong and consistent trend: the vast majority of teams that compete at the Donosti Cup want to come back.

Overall, around 80% of the teams that participate each year are returning teams, meaning they have already taken part in the tournament before. This figure has remained stable over the past five years and places the Donosti Cup among the international competitions with the highest levels of team loyalty. The trend between 2022 and 2026 confirms this reality, with the percentage of returning teams consistently ranging between 78% and 84%.

Continuity between editions further reinforces this data: 75% of the clubs that participate one year return the following year, a highly significant figure in an increasingly competitive international tournament calendar.

An analysis by origin reveals notable differences. Over the past five years on average, local clubs show an exceptional loyalty rate of 97%. At national level, the figure stands at around 75%, while among international clubs, 61% return to the tournament — a particularly meaningful statistic given the economic and organisational challenges involved in travelling from abroad.

However, loyalty does not ensure stagnation. In recent years, the percentage of new teams has ranged between 16% and 22%. On average, around 80 new international teams join the tournament each year, an impressive number that highlights the Donosti Cup’s ability to continue attracting interest from new countries and football markets.

The combination of historic clubs, a high return rate, and the constant arrival of new participants explains why the Donosti Cup continues to grow without losing its essence: a tournament where many teams come for the first time… and the vast majority want to return.