Greater Raleigh makes festival-style sports events happen with flexible venues and tight-knit partnerships. In Cary, N.C., The Soccer Tournament works with the Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance (GRSA) and community partners to elevate the weekend of head-to-head competition by adding big festivities and activations, taking the energy to a whole new level and redefining what a soccer event is.
GRSA is full of ideas for helping turn your competitions into celebrations. The result? Tournaments that feel like festivals—alive with energy, culture and nonstop action. Want that kind of innovation behind your event? GRSA knows how to make it happen. Here’s how we did it for The Soccer Tournament:
The Soccer Tournament at WakeMed Soccer Park: Case Study
The event
The Soccer Tournament (TST) is the world’s premier 7v7 soccer festival, bringing men’s and women’s teams to Cary's WakeMed Soccer Park to compete for a $1 million winner‑take‑all prize in each division. Often described as the “Coachella for Soccer,” TST is more than just non-stop soccer—it's a celebration of the game and the fans who love it.
The opportunity
How does a destination add even more energy and excitement to a tournament—delivering unforgettable memories and unmatched experiences?
The approach
GRSA serves on the local organizing committee (LOC) for both TST and The Cary Cup, Cary’s youth soccer tournament created to be held in conjunction with TST. Alongside Cary, N.C., GRSA coordinates hotel planning, event servicing, marketing and public relations efforts to support the tournaments’ growth.
As part of its destination‑hosting role, GRSA coordinated a comprehensive welcome across key locations for the 2025 tournament. At the team hotels, GRSA displayed branded welcome posters, door decals and lobby balloon towers and delivered personalized welcome gifts for TST staff and VIP guests.
At RDU International Airport, a digital welcome display ran throughout team arrivals and departures, while at WakeMed Soccer Park, GRSA enhanced the event atmosphere with two large welcome banners and LED field displays during gameplay.
Together with local partners, these efforts helped transform Cary and WakeMed Soccer Park into a true “Coachella for Soccer” every summer—an immersive, celebratory atmosphere where the sport takes center stage and the fan experience becomes something unforgettable.
The results
Since launching in 2023, TST has rapidly expanded its global profile. The 2025 event marked its most successful yet, welcoming nearly 2,000 players representing 34 countries. The event drew some of the sport’s biggest stars, including Carli Lloyd, Sergio Agüero, Heather O’Reilly, Luis Nani, Hope Solo and Ali Krieger, as well as world‑renowned clubs such as Atlético de Madrid, Inter Milan, Club América, Borussia Dortmund, West Ham United and Wrexham AFC.
Fan engagement surged as well in 2025. The event had a record-breaking 51,730 spectators, reinforcing TST’s reputation as the world’s preeminent small‑sided soccer festival. Visitors traveled from all 50 states, Canada and the U.K., showcasing its growing national and international draw.
TST’s festival experience continues to expand. The 2025 footprint featured international food, club activations and enhanced fan programming, including two live broadcasts of ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show,” highlighting the event’s rising national media presence and cultural reach.
The 2025 tournament generated more than $14.7 million in direct economic impact, including over $547,000 in local tax revenue. Nearly 20,000 room-nights were utilized from out-of-county visiting fans, driving $3.8 million in local lodging and transportation spending.
“I can’t remember a sporting event that has grown as quickly and as impressively as TST,” said Scott Dupree, executive director of GRSA. “In just three years it has already established itself as one of the premier soccer events in the nation. Now entering year four and a new four-year agreement [running through 2029], the excitement and anticipation surrounding TST is greater than ever. WakeMed Soccer Park has proven to be the ideal location for this celebration of soccer, and the Town of Cary the ideal host. It’s just a perfect fit. Beyond the excitement of the tournament, TST delivers tremendous media value and economic impact to our destination—driving tourism by filling hotels, restaurants and local businesses throughout the region."
Want that kind of energy behind your next event?
Greater Raleigh's community shows up and shows out. We know how to rally partners, create unforgettable experiences and deliver measurable impact. GRSA has all the connections and relationships and community partners ready to collaborate to make events one-of-a-kind and like in no other destination. From smaller events to major events such as TST, our staff knows how to get creative and pull our resources together for you. Let's make your event a success—learn more about bringing your event to Raleigh, N.C. and reach out to us today.
