UCFB celebrates historic BUCS campaign with record-breaking 2025/26 season

UCFB has achieved its strongest ever performance in the British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) league standings, with student-athletes across the institution delivering a historic 2025/26 campaign.

Football continued to lead the way, with UCFB ranked 12th nationally out of 122 universities for football overall, earning 184 points across the season. The university also secured an outstanding fifth-place finish in the men’s football rankings out of 120 institutions, collecting 128 points and underlining UCFB’s growing reputation as one of the leading destinations for football education and performance in the UK.

For Wayne Goodison, Course Leader for MSc Football Coaching and Analysis and coach of the UCFB men’s football team, the season represented a landmark moment for the programme both on and off the pitch.

Describing the campaign as “unprecedented” during his time with the men’s first team, Goodison praised the squad’s achievements after winning 17 matches, scoring 68 goals and conceding just 11 on their way to securing the BUCS Tier 2 league title and Northern Conference Cup.

However, he also highlighted the culture built around the squad as the defining feature of the season, pointing to the camaraderie between players and student support staff as a major factor behind both the team’s success and enjoyment throughout the year.

That sense of togetherness was echoed by team captain William Jenkinson, who described the squad as the closest and most successful group he had ever been part of both in football and outside of it. Reflecting on a season that delivered a treble of league, cup and Varsity success, Jenkinson praised the collective mentality across players and staff, with the squad creating a positive and relaxed environment that allowed individuals to thrive.

Jenkinson also spoke about the importance of inclusivity and friendship within the team environment, explaining how relationships formed away from football contributed to making it the best year of his university experience.

Fellow player Lewis Loughlin similarly credited the squad’s culture and togetherness as a key reason behind the team remaining unbeaten throughout the season. He highlighted the standards set daily by players and staff, alongside the trust and accountability developed within the group, as major contributors to the team’s success.

Loughlin added that being part of the squad provided a strong sense of belonging away from academic studies and helped build lasting friendships, describing the experience as hugely valuable for both personal development and sporting success.

Jake Preston also reflected on the strong bonds formed across the campaign, describing the friendships and community created within the group as “central to the season’s remarkable achievements.” He praised both players and staff for building an environment that exceeded expectations from the very beginning of pre-season.

The season was packed with landmark achievements across the men’s and women’s programmes.

Both men’s first teams earned promotion to Tier 1 for next season, while UCFB teams secured three league titles across the campaign. The year also saw UCFB celebrate its first-ever BUCS Cup success, adding another milestone to a memorable season.

Women’s football also enjoyed a breakthrough year, with UCFB finishing 22nd nationally out of 94 universities on 56 points. The women’s programme climbed 23 places from last season’s standings, having finished 45th in 2024/25.

UCFB Wembley Women’s 1st team successfully retained their place in Tier 1 and reached the BUCS quarter-finals, while UCFB Wembley Women’s 2nd team delivered an impressive league-winning campaign.

Across all sports, UCFB finished 87th in the UK out of 144 institutions, recording a highest-ever points total of 232. The achievement marks another significant step forward for university sport at UCFB, improving on last season’s finish of 89th and increasing the overall points tally by 38 points from the 2024/25 campaign.

From next season, UCFB will have three football teams competing in Tier 1 BUCS football, making the university one of only seven institutions across the UK to have three or more teams competing at Tier 1 level or above.

The latest results continue a strong upward trajectory for UCFB in BUCS competition over recent years:

The continued rise in the BUCS standings reflects the commitment, professionalism and ambition shown by UCFB student-athletes, coaches and support staff throughout the season.

With more teams competing at the highest level of university football next year than ever before, the future continues to look bright for sport at UCFB.

Take a further look at our academy teams and how you can thrive on the pitch as well as studying for a career off it.