After making its debut in 2025, Y’s First Touch is returning to Marks Park Sports Club in Emmarentia with another full day built around sport, music, culture and community.
This year, the experience brings together 5-a-side diski, padel, live music, food, drinks and interactive brand activations, creating a sporting and lifestyle experience designed to bring Jozi’s young, energetic and sport-loving communities together.
And with R25 000 in prizes up for grabs, there is more than bragging rights on the line.
22nd of September? No. 12 September is game day.
The action gets moving early.
In a new addition to the First Touch programme, attendees and runners can start their day with a morning run hosted in collaboration with Vault Strength Club (VSC).
The run starts and finishes at Marks Park, with VSC bringing its wider community together for the experience.
It is open to everyone, giving runners and fitness enthusiasts an opportunity to get active before heading into the main First Touch experience.
The morning run kicks off at 6:30AM.
Then, from 9AM to 5PM, the sporting tournament takes centre stage.
Get in the game
First Touch puts 5-a-side diski and padel at the heart of the day.
Participants can take to the pitch, test themselves on the padel court or simply arrive to support their friends and favourite teams.
The event is designed to make sport feel accessible, social and fun.
For those competing, however, the stakes are clear.
There is R25 000 in prizes to play for.
The football action will also feature familiar personalities, with Masterpiece YVK, Uncool MC and Major Steez stepping onto the pitch as captains.
The padel experience will be curated by Ayanda MVP, DJ Fae Fae, Fif_Laaa, Hey Shawty and Perceey ASF.
When the final whistle blows, the vibes continue
First Touch is not stopping at sport.
From 10AM to 8PM, Marks Park will become a lifestyle playground where music, food, drinks and immersive activities take over.
The entertainment line-up features Thatohatsi, XDuppy, Uncool MC, Masterpiece YVK, Shakes & Les, W4de, Venom, DJ Tshegu, Pedabotic and K1llbrady.
The result is a programme that moves between competition and connection.
You can come to play.
You can come to support your squad.
Or you can simply come through for the atmosphere.
More than a tournament
At the heart of First Touch is the idea of bringing people together through sport, music and culture.
That combination sits at the centre of Y’s approach to youth culture and real-life experiences.
“First Touch is not just about who wins games,” says Y Marketing Manager Fanele Moloi. “It’s about creating a space where young people can come together, compete, have fun and experience the energy that makes Y such a powerful part of youth culture. After the incredible response to our first edition, we’re excited to bring First Touch back for 2026 and make it even bigger.”
That ambition is reflected in the format.
First Touch gives competitive players a reason to show up. It gives supporters a reason to cheer. And it gives friends and communities a reason to spend the day together.
Pull up with your squad
Whether you are chasing the trophy, picking up a padel racket for the first time, supporting your favourite team or simply looking for something different to do on a Saturday, First Touch is designed to bring people into the experience.
The invitation is simple: bring your team, bring your friends and get involved.
With sport at the centre and music and culture shaping the atmosphere around it, First Touch brings together the ingredients for a full day of competition, connection and good vibes.
First Touch 2026: Everything you need to know
Date: Saturday, 12 September 2026
Venue: Marks Park Sports Club, Emmarentia, Johannesburg
Morning Run: 6:30AM
Sports Tournament: 9AM–5PM
Fest Experience: 10AM–8PM
Sports: 5-a-side Diski & Padel
Prizes: R25 000
Tickets: Limited tickets available
For tickets, team registrations and further information, visit YWorld.co.za and follow @YFM across social media.
Original art. Selected artists. One curated collection.
Correction: The final line above belongs to a different event and should not be associated with First Touch.
For Y’s First Touch, the message is much simpler:
Pull up with your squad. Get active. Get into the game.
