The Soccer Tournament: 2024 schedule, teams, how to watch, celebrities & prize money

The second edition of The Soccer Tournament begins Wednesday, with soccer stars and big names from other sports and elsewhere all set to attend.

The Soccer Tournament (TST) is fast becoming a feature on the calendar, due to entertainment and big prize money on offer.

Here’s all you need to know ahead of the event.

TST 2024 schedule

The Soccer Tournament takes place from Wednesday, June 5 through to Monday, June 10.

TST features 48 teams across 12 groups, with the group stage games taking place across three sessions of 24 matches over June 5 and June 6.

The top 32 go through to compete for places in the last 16, with eight matches across the day and evening session on Friday, June 7.

Saturday, June 8 sees the round of 16 in the day, the quarter-finals in the evening before the semi-finals on the evening of Sunday, June 9.

The Championship match then takes place in the final session on Monday, June 10.

Where is TST being played?

The Soccer Tournament is hosted at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, NC.

The venue hosted the first edition in 2023 and is owned by Wake County, and operated by the Town of Cary.

Opened in 2002, the venue holds 10,000 supporters and has previously hosted key events, including NCAA and Concacaf Women’s Championship fixtures.

Lacrosse has also been played there, while it has acted as the start and finish for athletics meets.

Its current tenants includes North Carolina FC (USLC) and North Carolina Courage (NWSL) soccer sides, as well as ultimate frisbee team Raleigh Flyers.

How to watch TST, TV channel and streaming

ESPN has confirmed it will stream 27 matches across the tournament via their website.

TST 2024 teams & groups

Group A

• Aguero Team

• La Mexicana Express

• Nani FC

• Say World FC

Group B

• Burnley FC

• The Concacaf Soccer Club

• Nati SC

• Reggae Rovers

Group C

• Au Vodka Swans

• FItbodega Vancouver

• Tobacco Road FC

• Socceroof

Group D

• Banheiristas FC

• Gracie FC

• Inter

• La Bombonera

Group E

• Borussia Dortmund

• Dueling for Lincoln FC

• FC Bayern

• The Town FC

Group F

• Desimpedidos

• FC Roha Eagles

• Saturday Football

• Wrexham Red Dragons

Group G

• DC Hyper

• Newtown Pride FC

• Supra United FC

• Zala

Group H

• Kwik Goal FC

• Pasha Luxury FC

• Sneaky Fox FC

• Tranqui10 FC

Group I

• Hashtag United

• Manhattan Kickers FC

• Raleigh Rebels FC

• Summer of Soccer

Group J

• City Society FC

• Como-Cagliari

• North Carolina FC

• Villarreal FC

Group K

• Hoya Nation

• Freedom United SC

• Hoosier Army (IU Alumni)

• Trident FC

Group L

• Kingdom FC

• Sire 7

• Tenfifteen FC

• Toronto Athletic FC

TST 2024 rules & format

TST features seven-a-side teams playing on a reduced-sized field with smaller goals. Each game includes two 20-minute halves, with a two-minute break for half time.

The tournament’s most notable feature is “Target Score Time” which means matches always end on a goal with the target being to score more times than the team that leads the fixture after 40 minutes. For example, if the game stands at 6-4, the target will be to get to seven, so the side in front needs to score once more, but the team that is down on the scoreboard can still win by getting to seven before the other team. In essence, the team that reaches seven goals first wins.

Players are prohibited to slide tackle, while there are also no offsides and throw-ins are replaced by indirect free kicks to restart games.

Initially, teams in each group all play each other once before the leading sides go through to a round of 32 and from there it is straight knockout through the round of 16, quarter-finals, semi-finals and final.

Who is playing in TST?

The event features several soccer stars from yesteryear, with Sergio Aguero, Cesc Fabregas, Nani and Mario Balotelli all set to show.

TST 2024 has also attracted other big guns such as Houston Texans’ defensive end, and Burnley part-owner, JJ Watt and former Bengals’, Pats and Dolphins wide receiver Chad Ochocinco.

NFL analyst and former Colts’ punter Pat McAfee is also putting his own team, CONCAFA FC, together for the tournament.

TST winners prize money

The winners of The Soccer Tournament will collect $1m in prize money.