Welcome! We are excited that you have the courage to and are interested in joining our Lions Pride.

Registration should be completed online and payment made in full.

(Email [email protected] for any questions)

Registration Fees for the 2026 season (Age as of July 14, 2026):
All Division (Age 5-12) - $200
Early Bird Special - $125 (Ends May 31st)  Login/Register

Helmets, practice and game jerseys will be provided to each player. Registration fees include the cost to properly maintain and recondition helmets (required to ensure player protection and re-certification), various coaching equipment, home field maintenance and painting, home game referees, insurance, league fees collected by Pop Warner and other administrative operating expenses. Helmets and jerseys remain the property of the Wilmington Lions United and must be returned immediately following the last game.

Required Equipment:
Each player will need to provide the following additional equipment (connecting with current Lions families is a great way to find used equipment that our athletes have outgrown!):
Cleats (plastic)Shoulder pads    
Practice pants with pads
Mouthpiece with helmet attachment (must NOT be clear)

Forms:
The following documents must be uploaded for your registration to be complete and the player added to a team roster:
Copy of player’s birth certificate, state ID, or passport
Copy of player’s year end (Q4) report card (can be uploaded once received in June)

Practices:
Practices start July 15th and we are currently working on practice field location. Teams can practice up to 10 hours per week before traditional school starts at which time it drops to 6 hours per week. Practices generally run 6-8 pm unless otherwise communicated by the coach.  Athletes are required to complete a minimum of 20 hours of conditioning without and with pads to become eligible for scrimmage or game play.  

Games:
Games are held on Saturdays and we are currently working on our home field location and will announce that as soon as we know more. Away games can be held at various other athletic fields around New Hanover and surrounding counties. Game schedules are generated by Pop Warner and are typically provided in August. The annual jamboree kicks off our regular season (tentatively scheduled for August 22nd) which runs through October. Competitive level teams can qualify for regional, national and post season bowl games well into November and December.‼️

Regionals and Nationals:
Regional Competition will be held right here in Wilmington, NC this year (November 21st, 2026).  Teams must qualify for Regionals to participate in Regionals.  Teams that win Regionals will be given the opportunity to compete for the prestigious honor of winning a National Championship. 

The National Championship will once again be held in Charlotte, NC (December 5th -12th, 2026).  This event will require a multiple day commitment as this will involve multiple hotel stays at the dates mentioned.  Paperwork will be given to all participants, helping to provide teachers and school officials of this exciting achievement and the reason of the absences the participants will incur during this week of competition and festivities.   

Please keep in mind that, in the event that one of our Lion's football teams qualify for regionals or make it to nationals, there will be regional and national fees, travel fees, and hotel fees that each athlete will be required to pay.  We will be conducting various fundraisers throughout the season to help minimize these fees, and we are asking all of our parents to participate in these fundraisers as they come up.  More information will be given throughout the season in regard to these fundraisers and ways that parent participation will be needed.  Ultimately, we want to make sure that we are prepared and ready financially, so that finances are not an obstacle preventing our Lions teams from competing at the Regional of National level.

Game Changer App:
Please go to the app store on your phone and download "Game Changer" if you have not already done so. This is the current communication platform each coach will be using to communicate information through out the 2026 season.  Coaches will make sure you get registered and connected with the team on Game Changer at the beginning of the Fall season. 

Interested in volunteering?
Please email us expressing areas of interest. There is nothing more fulfilling than building relationships with the youth in our community and watching them explore their athletic interest while instilling strong values of respect, teamwork, sportsmanship, and sense of community.      

We look forward to meeting you and adding more Lions to the Pride!