The Soccer Tournament, a men’s and women’s tournament featuring 134 matches with teams vying for a $1 million prize, comes to Cary from June 4-9, 2025 in a spirited, energized competition that attracts casual and diehard soccer fans.
The on-field format is 7-on-7 with rosters stacked with talent, celebrities and personalities from around the globe. It’s a festival-style celebration of athleticism, resilience and culture right here in the Triangle.
The tournament contains prominent teams such as Pat McAfee’s CONCAFA SC, Hope Solo’s Solo FC, West Ham United, Atlético de Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Club América and AFC Bournemouth.
The basics to know
The Soccer Tournament takes place at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary from Wednesday through Sunday, with 64 teams (48 men’s, 16 women’s) playing hundreds of matches in the span of a few days. The complete match schedule can be found here.
The first four days will be played in day and evening sessions. A breakdown of each session is available here.
Matches will be played World Cup style – with a group stage followed by knockout rounds. A doubleheader of championships – the women’s and the men’s takes place on Monday, June 9.
Off the field, the grounds are a festival for fans, including live music, live ESPN radio broadcasts and international food and drink options.
Men’s Tournament
The men’s bracket contains 48 teams that are split into 12 groups of four.
Here are some noteworthy matches for the first two days of play.
- The CONCAFA SC vs. AFC Bournemouth – June 4, 10:00 a.m ET (ESPNU/ESPN+)
- West Ham United vs. Villarreal CF – June 4, 5:30 p.m. ET (ESPNU/ESPN+)
- AFC Bournemouth vs Wrexham Red Dragons – June 4, 6:30 p.m. ET (ESPNU/ESPN+)
- Seleccion Potrero vs Atlético de Madrid – June 4, 8:00 p.m. ET (YouTube)
- Borussia Dortmund vs Plymouth Argyle – June 5, 12:30 p.m. ET (YouTube)
- Wrexham Red Dragons vs The CONCAFA SC – June 5, 5:30 p.m. ET (ESPNU/ESPN+)
- Nani FC vs Club America – June 5, 8:00 pm ET (YouTube)
Men’s teams to watch
Here are some storylines to watch in the men’s field of 48 teams.
La Bombonera: The 2024 TST champions dominated last year’s tournament, outscoring their opponents 21-4 in knockout rounds.
Borussia Dortmund: The 8-time Bundesliga champions.
Club América: One of Mexico’s most successful and historic football clubs.
West Ham United FC: Making a return to the tournament after playing in the inaugural TST in 2023.
Wrexham Red Dragons: The Welsh club made famous on FX and owned by American celebrities Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.
Hashtag United: One of the most experienced teams in TST, owned by YouTube star Spencer Owen.
CONCAFA: The soccer club led by ESPN’s Pat McAfee, who will broadcast live from the event.
Nani FC: Luis Nani is back with Nani FC and brings a crew of teammates and like-minded stars with him. Last year, Nani FC reached the championship match.
Women’s teams to watch
US Women: The defending champions, led by Heather O’Reilly, return to defend their title. Ali Krieger and Carli Lloyd give the team a boost and UNC players Kate Faasse and Tessa Dellarose add some local talent to the roster.
Solo FC: Gold medalist and World Cup champion Hope Solo leads a team of legends and rising stars from around the globe.
North Carolina Courage: Playing on their home turf, the Courage are determined to reach the title match again after falling to US Women last year.
How to watch on TV
ESPN+ is streaming 27 Men’s and Women’s matches live. Select matches will be available to watch on ESPNU.
It’s Pat!
Pat McAfee, ESPN personality and retired NFL punter, will play with Concafa SC and will broadcast his sports talk show from WakeMed Soccer Park at Coca-Cola Stadium (Field 3) from noon to 3 p.m. on June 4 and 5.
Last year, J.J. Watt, Chad OchoCinco and Steve Nash made appearances. Chris Paul, a TST investor, has also shown up in the past.
Food and drink options from around the world
A variety of cuisines and flavors from around the world will be available for fans to munch on, including Che Empanadas, PineWurst, San Matteo Pizzeria e Cucina, Las Tortilleras and Jerk Man Island Cuisine.
Youth clinics
Villarreal CF will host free youth clinics for ages 8–16, led by their academy coaching staff from Spain. One lucky person will get to participate in a week-long academy clinic in Spain.
Player autographs and meet & greets
Fans can get up close with their favorite players for photo and autograph opportunities. A tournament meet and greet will happen on Saturday, June 7, at 10 a.m. Legendary players such as Hope Solo, Carli Lloyd, Heather O’Reilly and Ali Krieger will be there. See a complete meet & greet schedule here.
UNICEF Day of Play
On June 7, the UNICEF Kids Zone will be a place for children to play in structured and unorganized formats. Those who come to the event will engage in soccer skills, crafts and use their voice to share why play is important to them. For more on kids’ activities and fun at TST, check out this story.
Championship matches
On Monday, June 9, see which teams take home the $1 million prize. The women’s championship kicks off at 7 p.m. followed by the men’s championship at 8:30 p.m. A single ticket gives fans access to both games with prices starting at $40.
How to get tickets
Want tickets? Look here. Fans can buy tickets to either day and evening sessions. All tickets must be purchased in advance. Grounds passes guarantee access to every field during the session. As of Monday, tickets remained for the all-sessions bundle and for groups of 10 or more. VIP passes, private cabanas and other hospitality experiences are also available for purchase.
Parking
Parking passes can be purchased for day and evening sessions. They must be purchased in advance online. Prices start at $18.
When do gates open?
To see when gates open and close for fans, check the festival schedule.
Bag policy
Clear bags of any size are permitted. Diaper bags and clutch purses (no larger than 4.5” x 6.5”) are allowed.
Past TST winners
2023: Newtown Pride FC – Patrick Cutrone wins Golden Boot – Kelvin Oliviera wins MVP
2024: La Bombonera (men) and US Women (women) – Joaquin Hernandez and Maddison Wolfbauer win Golden Boot – Joaquin Hernandez and Tessa Dellarose win MVP
