Full guide to the UEFA Regions' Cup finals

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• Download the programme

The UEFA Regions' Cup kicks off in Istanbul on Saturday and we have the lowdown on the tenth edition of the tournament.

What is the UEFA Regions' Cup?

Now into its tenth edition, the UEFA Regions' Cup is a competition for players who have never featured at any professional level. Contested by the winners of national amateur tournaments – with the smallest countries fielding national amateur teams – it is a showcase for the wealth of talent that exists under the radar in European football.

Who are the contenders?

Istanbul are the 2017 finals hosts©UEFA.com

In Group A, hosts Istanbul will take on Lisboa from Portugal, Ingulec from Ukraine and the runners-up in the 2015 edition, Croatia's Zagreb – who averaged four goals a game in qualifying, including six for striker Željko Štulec.

Group B features Czech side Olomouc and Russia's South Region, in addition to 2009 winners Castilla y León from Spain, while the Republic of Ireland's Region 2 include several players who won the 2015 edition on home soil as Eastern Region IRL.

When and where are the games?

The group stage is played on Saturday, Monday and next Thursday. The top team in each group will then vie for the trophy on Sunday 9 July. Matches will be held at two venues in the Istanbul suburbs – Sarıyer Yusuf Ziya Öniş Stadyumu and Maltepe Stadium – plus two pitches at the Turkish Football Federation's TFF Riva complex close to the banks of the Bosporus.

Who are the past winners?

Italian sides have won three of the previous nine editions, with two successes for amateur teams from Spain. Perhaps more significantly, five editions have been won by the hosts – including the most recent three.

Hall of fame

Regions' Cup record-holders Ken Hoey and Željko Štulec©Sportsfile

Players with the most UEFA Regions' Cup appearances (including qualifying)
27: Ray Whelehan (IRL: Republic of Ireland, Region 1, Leinster & Munster)
25: James Walsh (IRL: Republic of Ireland, Region 1, Leinster & Munster)
24: Ken Hoey (IRL: Republic of Ireland, Region 1, Leinster & Munster, Eastern Region, Region 2)

Players with the most UEFA Regions' Cup finals appearances
11: Ken Hoey (IRL: Region 1, Leinster & Munster, Eastern Region)
10= David Lacey (IRL: Region 1, Leinster & Munster, Eastern Region)
10= James Walsh (IRL: Region 1, Leinster & Munster)
10= Ray Whelehan (IRL: Region 1, Leinster & Munster)

Players with the most UEFA Regions' Cup goals (including qualifying)
10: Željko Štulec (CRO: Zagreb)
9= Serhiy Chudak (UKR: Kahovka-Kzeso)
9= Javier Moreno (ESP: Madrid)
9= Zoltán Varga (HUN: Szabolcs Gabona Csoport)
9= James Walsh (IRL: Republic of Ireland, Region 1, Leinster & Munster)

Players with the most UEFA Regions' Cup finals goals
6: Zoltán Varga (HUN: Szabolcs Gabona Csoport)
5: Gabriel David (CZE: Central Moravia)