Defending Champion US Women Add National Team Legend Carli Lloyd as Women’s Event Grows to 16 Teams

Aguero and Nani to Battle Seven-a-side Representatives from Borussia Dortmund, Wrexham for $1M Men’s Prize

CARY, N.C., Jan. 29, 2024 –  The Soccer Tournament (TST), the star-studded, 7v7 world championship offering $1 million winner-take-all prizes for men and women, today announced it will double the size of its women’s bracket to sixteen teams. TST will be played at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C., from June 4-9.

TST’s women’s event, presented by RBC Wealth Management, will now feature twice as many teams as its inaugural event in 2024. The field is headlined by reigning champion US Women, whose 2025 roster will feature two-time Olympic gold medalist and World Cup champion Carli Lloyd. Lloyd joined US Women as a coach the previous two summers. Team captain Heather O’Reilly and Ali Krieger will also play alongside Lloyd, marking the first time the former USWNT trio has shared the field since 2016.

“I had such a great time last year being part of the US Women coaching staff,” said Carli Lloyd.   “This year, it's time to lace up my boots and reunite with some of my former teammates – Heather O'Reilly and Ali Krieger – and help the US Women win back-to-back TST titles! Other returning teams for TST 2025’s women’s bracket will include NWSL clubs NC Courage and Angel City FC, as well as popular Welsh club Wrexham Red Dragons.

TST’s 48-team men’s field includes several prominent Premier League stars and European powerhouse clubs. Nani FC, TST 2024’s runner-up starring former Manchester United star and team namesake Luís Nani, will return to Cary with a roster that also features Portuguese futsal legend Ricardinho. Manchester City star striker Sergio Aguero will bring some of the best players from his own 7v7 tournament in Argentina to headline Selección Potrero.

Other notable returning clubs will enter 7-a-side teams, including German clubs FC Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, rising League One side Wrexham Red Dragons, LaLiga’s Villarreal CF, and popular semi-professional team Hashtag United. TST’s defending champion La Bombonera will also return to defend their crown in addition to 2023 champion Newtown Pride.

“We are astounded by the number of people who want to play in this event,” said TST CEO Jon Mugar. “We set out to establish TST as not only a world class tournament, but also Coachella for soccer. Fans and players love this event and travel to Cary from all around the world. And with our electrifying rules, this year’s event will feature 134 game-winning goals over six days!”

Additional teams for both the men’s and women’s field will be announced over the coming weeks.

TST will kick off its 2025 festival from WakeMed Soccer Park with men’s bracket group play running June 4-5, and women’s group play June 5-6. Men’s knockout round of 32 and round of 16 matches will both take place June 6. Quarterfinals and semifinals matches for both brackets will be played June 7-8. Both the men’s and women’s events will conclude in a winner-take-all championship doubleheader on June 9, with a total of $2M in prize money being awarded.

TST 2025 will be supported by RBC Wealth Management, Adidas, Coca-Cola, Soccer.com, Mitre, Town of Cary, Duke Sports Medicine, Kwik Goal and the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance.

A full list of returning teams can be found on thetournament.com. Fans interested in purchasing tickets to attend the event can do so at thetournament.com/tst/ beginning Feb. 3.

About The Tournament:
Founded in 2014, The Tournament specializes in hosting high-stakes, open-application sporting events distributed across the world. Its first property, The Basketball Tournament (TBT), has crowned 11 champions, awarded more than $14 million in prizes, and ushered in innovations such as the Elam Ending®. Launched in June 2023, The Soccer Tournament (TST) marked The Tournament’s expansion beyond basketball. TST’s Women’s Tournament launched in 2024. For more information on The Tournament and its properties, visit TheTournament.com.

Media Contact:
TBT Enterprises
Jake Pavorsky
PR@thetournament.com

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