The Soccer Tournament to return to Cary in 2024, this time with women’s teams
Soccer fans are in for a treat next year with the return of The Soccer Tournament to Cary’s WakeMed Soccer Park.
The 7-on-7 World Cup-style competition held its inaugural games over four days in June, featuring teams from around the world competing for a $1 million prize.
The event drew 35,000 fans to Cary from June 1-4. Newton Pride FC, based in Newtown, Connecticut, took home the top prize.
Now, the competition just got more interesting.
In 2024, the tournament will add eight women’s teams that will play over four days for a separate $1 million.
Last year’s 32 teams were mostly all men. There was one all-women team, U.S. Women, which lost. The team was entered into the competition by North Carolina Courage and former U.S. Women’s National Team player Heather O’Reilly.
“(The Soccer Tournament’s) commitment to a $1 million prize for both men’s and women’s players is incredibly important in our ongoing fight for equal pay,” O’Reilly said in a news release. “This event will be a great addition to the women’s sports landscape, and I can’t wait to take part in it with some of my former national teammates.”
2 tournaments over 6 days
The Soccer Tournament will feature two tournaments, men’s and women’s, with 118 total matches. The 48 men’s teams and eight women’s teams will compete in separate group play and single-elimination knockout rounds.
The event will take place at WakeMed Soccer Park from June 5-10.
When is the women’s tournament? The women’s event will kick off June 7 with two groups with four teams in each.
The two winning teams from the groups will compete in the semifinals June 9 and the winner will be crowned, and paid $1 million, after the championship on June 10.
When is the men’s tournament? The first round of games begins on June 5. The number of teams has expanded from 32 to 48, with teams competing in 12 groups of four on June 5 and 6.
On June 7, 32 teams will move on to knockout rounds. The quarterfinals, on June 8, will feature the remaining 16 teams. Two semifinal matches will be played June 9, and the winner-takes-all championship game will follow on June 10.
Who is playing in the tournament? As of Monday, when The Soccer Tournament announced next year’s event, there was only one known women’s team in the event: U.S. Women.
Applications are still being accepted for the open-entry tournament.
In June, nearly 400 teams applied to play in the games which also attracted big names like Wrexham AFC and star players Chad Johnson, Steve Nash and Clint Dempsey.
On Twitter, O’Reilly called on her former national teammates Ali Krieger, Julie Ertz and Carli Lloyd to play in the 2024 tournament. Fans have to wait to see who will answer the call.
The game schedule
- Wednesday, June 5: Men’s group stage Round 1 - 24 matches; Men’s group stage Round 2 - 24 matches
- Thursday, June 6: Men’s group stage Round 3 - 24 matches
- Friday, June 7: Men’s Round of 32 Part 1 & Women’s Group Stage Round 1 - 12 matches; Men’s Round of 32 Part 2 & Women’s Group Stage Round 2 - 12 matches
- Saturday, June 8: Men’s Round of 16 - eight matches; Men’s Quarterfinals & Women’s Group Stage Round 2 - right matches
- Sunday, June 9: Women’s Semifinals - two matches; Men’s Semifinals - twp matches
- Monday evening, June 10: $1 million Championship Doubleheader
The championship game will be played live on television, according to ESPN. The network host has not been announced.
All season passes are available
Tickets for The Soccer Tournament must be purchased online before the event. No tickets can be bought at WakeMed Soccer Park. Parking passes must also be bought online.
How can I get tickets? Fans can select from a few different ticket options from general admission to VIP through thetournament.com/tst/tickets.
What kind of tickets can I get?
▪ All-session tickets are $399 and allow access to all 118 matches including Group Stage, Knockout Rounds, and the championships. These tickets also offer access to the beer garden, autograph opportunities and access to fields.
▪ Single session tickets, starting at $50, let fans see 10 session and provide access to fields, the beer garden and autograph opportunities.
For VIP, there are three options: Sevens Club, Cabana Row, and North Suite.
Depending on which package fans get, the VIP tickets include private bathrooms, access to a buffet and bar, indoor and outdoor seating, selected entrances, and intimate views of the games.
For more information go to thetournament.com/tst.
This story was originally published December 4, 2023 at 4:17 PM with the headline "The Soccer Tournament to return to Cary in 2024, this time with women’s teams."