This year's Milk Cup finals will be moved from their traditional Coleraine home to Ballymena for the first time in 28 years, due to "health and safety issues", organisers have announced.
"New Health and Safety legislation is coming in which will further restrict the capacity of many venues across a wide range of sports in the Province", Milk Cup chairman Victor Leonard said.
"It will mean the capacity of Coleraine Showgrounds will be greatly reduced, falling far short of the requirement for our three finals."
Since its redevelopment in 2001, the Ballymena Showgrounds is viewed as one of the most modern stadiums in the region, with a total capacity of over 5,000.
Mr Leonard said the move was the "most difficult decision in the 28-year history of the international youth football tournament".
"As a Coleraine man, I have always considered the town as the spiritual home of the Milk Cup" he said. "Unfortunately our hands have been tied on this issue".
Organisers said the showpiece finale to the event would return to Coleraine when there would be facilities available to host our three game Finals Night.
The Milk cup finals need to accommodate six teams contesting the three finals as well as spectators on the night.
"Although we have utilised temporary changing rooms over the past decade, we concede that these do not meet the high standards expected by representatives of some of the world's top clubs at a major international event", Mr Leonard said.
"This is an issue which has been raised with us by officials of a number of participants in recent years. Considering we have clubs such as Manchester United, Barcelona, Everton, Fluminense and national teams from Brazil, Chile, the USA, it is a point well made."
Mr Leonard, who said "extensive" talks have been held on the issue, praised Coleraine Football Club for the work carried out at the Showgrounds to improve facilities, including the provision of new floodlighting.
The Milk Cup is one of the most popular events in Northern Ireland's football calendar and attracts visitors from across the globe as well as international media coverage.
This year's tournament will kick off on Monday 26 July and run until Friday 30 July, with the welcome parade of competing teams taking place through Coleraine on Sunday 25 July.
© UTV News