With registered youth soccer players in the United States growing from just over 100,000 in 1974 to over 3 million by 2014, the landscape of the sport has changed drastically over the last 40 years. As soccer has grown, tournament hosts have similarly had to adapt to greater numbers and greater competition while providing some of the best facilities and fields in the world.
Whether it’s because of the world-renowned facilities, the elite competition or the historical significance of these long-running tourneys (or perhaps a combination of all three), here are 15 youth soccer tournaments in America that are known around the country.
While many of these tournaments boast decades of know-how ensuring world-class organization, communication and proficiency, we know that club administrators and coaches could always use a helping hand where these areas are concerned. If you plan on attending a youth soccer tournament this summer, do yourself a favor and download the TeamSnap app — when it comes to travel logistics, availability, rosters and communication, it's the only app your club will ever need.
Photo: @DisneySports | Twitter
Location: Disney Wide World of Sports, Kissimmee, Florida
Age Groups: U15-U18
Dates: Boys December 27-30, 2017 | Girls December 31-January 3, 2018
The 2016 event saw 348 teams from 40 divisions on the boys side and 346 teams from 40 divisions on the girls side competing at "The Most Magical Place On Earth". According to Soccer America, it’s the #1 youth soccer tournament in the United States, and it features the top clubs competing at the highest level of youth soccer.
An AS Roma youth team prepares at the Disney Soccer Showcase. Photo: @OfficialASRoma | Twitter
Not only does it attract hundreds of college coaches, it’s also an international stage for players to be noticed by European clubs and scouts. It’s location at Disney’s Wide World of Sports complex means that it just doesn’t get any better where facilities are concerned.
The Dr Pepper Dallas Cup draws huge crowds from throughout Texas.
Location: Dallas, Texas
Age Groups: U13-U19
Dates: Easter Week (Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday)
Hosted by MLS side FC Dallas, the Dallas Cup began in 1980 and sees matches played at the Cotton Bowl and Toyota Stadium. The tournament, at its highest level, is the most competitive in the country. At the U-19 level, the Gordon Jago Super Group features some of the best youth sides on the planet.
2017 @Drpepper Dallas Cup by the numbers:
346 games played
3611 Players total
1435 Out of State players
1164 International players pic.twitter.com/jcKnMcVfhs
— Dallas Cup (@dallascup) April 20, 2017
Previous winners of this group include Real Madrid, Liverpool and River Plate and the tournament has been graced by the likes of Wayne Rooney, Raul, Rafa Marquez, Clint Dempsey and David Beckham.
The Dallas Cup is an invitation only tournament, and the 2017 event featured 200 clubs from eight different flights. On average, over 100,000 spectators watch the event.
Photo: @jeffersoncup | Twitter
Location: Richmond, Virginia
Age Groups: U10-U19
Dates: Boys U10-U15 March 10-11 | Boys U16-U19 March 30 - April 1 | Girls U10-U14 March 17-18 | Girls U15-19 March 23-25
Hosted by the Richmond Strikers soccer club since 1981, the Jefferson Cup is one of the most competitive tournaments for both boys and girls club teams in the United States. The event serves as one of the premier competitions on the East Coast and serves as a major recruiting ground for colleges out east.
Photo: @jeffersoncup | Twitter
Featuring over 1,000 teams with representation from over half of the United States (as well as declining over 500 teams per year), the Jefferson Cup is one of the largest and most historic competitions in the country.
Schwan's USA Cup takes place in a suburb outside of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Location: Blaine, Minnesota
Age Groups: U9-U19
Dates: July 18-22, 2017
The Schwan’s USA Cup began in 1985 with 69 teams. In 2016, the tournament set a new record with 1,178 teams participating. Billed as the largest international youth soccer tournament in the Western hemisphere, the 2016 version of the tournament featured nearly 100 international teams from 12 different countries.
Photo: @usacupsoccer | Twitter
With an Olympic-style opening ceremony in front of 10,000 spectators, the Schwan’s USA Cup — played out across a sprawling 690-acre National Sports Center campus — has a cosmopolitan feel that you won’t find at any other youth soccer tournament in the country.
Photo: @sandiegosurfcup | Twitter
Location: Surf Cup Sports Park in Del Mar and So Cal Sports Complex in Oceanside, California
Age Groups: U10-U19
Dates: U15-U19 July 28-31, 2017 | U10-U14 August 5-7, 2017
The Surf Cup, hosted by the San Diego Surf Soccer Club, launched in 1988 and has since become the top youth soccer tournament in southern California, as well as one of the best in the nation.
Photo: @sandiegosurfcup | Twitter
The 2016 tournament featured 808 teams from 56 different divisions, and it was watched by over 450 college coaches and scouts. There’s nowhere you’d rather be in the summer than San Diego, so this tournament really offers everything.
Surf Cup Sports also hosts the Surf College Cup over the Thanksgiving weekend, which is attended by over 500 college coaches and a great opportunity for clubs and players to show off their talent to top college scouts.
Photo: @debrathierjung | Twitter
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
Age Groups: U12-U19
Dates: Boys March 10-12, 2018 | Girls March 17-19, 2018
Over 1,000 teams travel to Las Vegas for the Players College Showcase, and, with hundreds of college coaches and scouts in attendance, the Players Showcase is a spectacular soccer event in fabulous Las Vegas.
Photo: @CragHutchinson | Twitter
This tournament, along with the annual Vegas Mayor's Cup, give the city two of the best youth soccer tournaments in the country. There's something for everyone in Las Vegas.
Photo: @WAGStourney | Twitter
Location: Fairfax, Virginia
Age Groups: Girls U9-U19
Dates: October 7-9, 2017
The Washington Area Girls Soccer League (WAGS) founded the WAGS Rael Vodicka Memorial Tournament in 1975. The 2016 tournament featured 482 teams, and it’s considered one of the most competitive tournaments in all of girl’s youth soccer.
Photo: @WAGStourney | Twitter
The tournament is contested by sides from all across the United States and Canada, and notable alumni of WAGS include Mia Hamm and Ali Krieger.
Photo: @ManhattanSC_NYC | Twitter
Location: New York City metropolitan area
Age Groups: U12-U19
Dates: March 2-4, 2018
2018 will mark the 10th anniversary of the Manhattan Soccer Club Kick-Off Classic, and this event is one of the marquee tournaments in the Northeast, particularly in New York. Featuring matches on Randall’s Island Park and other fields in the New York City metropolitan area, the tournament has grown to accommodate more than 600 teams with the promise of quality competition and the allure of the city.
Photo: Twitter
Location: San Diego, California
Age Groups: U8-U19
Dates: November 24-26, 2018
This tournament has been hosted by Nomads Soccer Club in San Diego for over 30 years, and the 2016 competition drew a total of 368 teams. Notable Nomads Soccer Club alumni include former USMNT players Frankie Hejduk and Steve Cherundolo and current representative Joe Corona.
Photo: @bethesdascnews | Twitter
Location: Montgomery County, Maryland
Age Groups: U9-U20
Dates: Girls November 10-12, 2017 | Boys November 17-19, 2017
2018 will mark the 34rd annual Bethesda Premier Cup, with the boys weekend ranked in the top 10 nationally by GotSoccer.com. With 548 teams competing in 96 flights, and only 24% of those teams from in state, the Bethesda Cup is one of the most competitive and diverse tournaments on the calendar.
Photo: @LERSCSting | Twitter
Location: Montgomery County, Maryland
Age Groups: U9-U19
Dates: May 26-29, 2018
2018 will mark the 39th edition of the Potomac Memorial Tournament, with matches taking place at the prestine Maryland SoccerPlex in Germantown, Maryland. With the Bethesda Premier Cup running in the fall, the Potomac Memorial Tournament is the spring equivalent and both garner huge attention.
Photo: @LV_Mayors_Cup | Twitter
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
Age Groups: U11-U19
Dates: President’s Day weekend
Featuring hundreds of teams from dozens of countries playing on more than 50 fields, the Mayor’s Cup began in 2000 and it has continuously grown since then. The level of competition is extremely high and is heavily contested by teams from both the West Coast and East Coast and five different continents. The 2017 tournament had 75 foreign teams and representation from 32 different states.
Photo: @silver_lakes | Twitter
Location: Cerritos, California
Age Groups: U7-U19
Dates: Memorial Day weekend
2018 will be the 24th annual Cerritos Tournament, and the competition has grown to host over 700 teams in Southern California. Played at the Cerritos Sports Complex and located minutes away from Disneyland, this tournament makes for an unforgettable weekend.
Weston Cup Showcase
Location: Weston, Florida
Age Groups: U9-U19
Dates: February 17-19, 2018
The 2016 Weston Cup had 686 teams from Florida, multiple states, and international representation from Brazil, Canada and the Caribbean. Played on 40 different fields over five state of the art facilities, this tournament features an array of different levels of competition to attract teams from all over.
Photo: @SoccerByIves | Twitter
Location: Bradenton, Florida
Age Groups: U15-U19
Dates: March 3-5, 2018
Hosted at the legendary Bradenton campus, this tournament boasts 12 professional-quality fields and some of the best facilities in the country. This event features some of the nation's top youth soccer clubs and is watched by scouts from across Europe.
Photo: @IMGAcademy | Twitter
The summer’s well and truly upon us, so the majority of these tournaments will be taking place in the coming months. For players, there’s nothing more memorable than these weekends. As a club administrator or coach, allow yourself to focus on what’s truly important by downloading the TeamSnap app.
