The Soccer Tournament 2026 guide for fans: Matches, tickets and schedule

The Soccer Tournament (TST), a men's and women's tournament featuring 134 matches with teams vying for a $1 million prize, kicks off on Wednesday in Cary. 

The premier 7 vs. 7 competition begins May 27 and ends June 1 at the WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary.

The week features a 48-team men's event, a 16-team women's event and a new 12-team mixed competition with all teams competing for three $1 million prizes in a winner-take-all competition. 

Soccer greats Landon Donovan (Sneaky FC) and Hope Solo (Solo FC) face off May 30 in the inaugural 12-team mixed bracket. The match is set to be broadcast nationally on NBC and WRAL.

This year's competition will also feature celebrity lead teams most notable Dreamville FC lead by rapper and Carolina native J. Cole. The team will play its first matchup against The 610 on Wednesday at 9:30 a.m., which you can watch at this link.

Fans can visit TST7v7.com to purchase tickets and for more information on teams and pairings.   

The Soccer Tournament takes place at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary from Wednesday through Sunday, with 76 teams playing hundreds of matches in the span of a few days. The complete match schedule can be found here.

Three of the days will be played in day and evening sessions. A breakdown of each session is available here.

Matches will be played World Cup style – with a group stage followed by knockout rounds. A doubleheader of championships – the women's,  men's and mixed - takes place on Monday, June 1.

Off the field, the grounds are a festival for fans, including live music and international food and drink options.

Make sure to visit the WRAL tent, which is located in the area between fields 1 and 6. 

The men’s bracket contains 48 teams that are split into 12 groups of four.

Here are some notable matchups for the first few days of play

• Kings League All-Stars vs. KRÜ FC - May 27, 6:45 p.m. ET
• Club América vs Villarreal CF - May 28, 5 p.m. ET
• Dreamville FC vs Drip FC - May 28,  7 p.m. ET
• Villarreal CF vs Cagliari Calcio - May 27, 12:30 p.m. ET
• Cagliari Calcio vs Club America - May 27, 7:15 p.m. ET
• Wythenshawe Vets FC vs Pasha Luxury - May 27, 8:15 p.m. ET

The women’s bracket contains 16 teams split into four groups of four

Here are some notable matchups for the first few days of play

• US Women vs Club America - May 28, 6:30 p.m. ET
• Solo FC vs North Carolina Courage - May 29, 10 p.m. ET
• Kansas City II vs US Women - May 29, 1:15 p.m. ET 
• Iowa Demon Hawks vs Solo FC - May 29, 11:45 a.m. ET

New this year - there is a 12-team mixed competition. The teams are split into three groups of four teams. 

Soccer greats Landon Donovan (Sneaky FC) and Hope Solo (Solo FC) face off May 30 in the inaugural 12-team mixed bracket.

Here are some notable matchups for the first few days of play

• Solo FC (Mixed) vs. Detroit City FC - May 29, 8:30 a.m. ET 
• Sneaky FB vs. Wrexham (Mixed) - May 29, 10:15 a.m. ET
• Legio FB (Mixed) vs. Prestige Worldwide - May 29, 8:30 a.m. ET
• Boca Dallas (Mixed) vs. Pumas De Alabama (Mixed) - May 29, 10 a.m. ET
• Drunken Monkeys (Mixed) vs. Peluche Hawks - May 29, 9 a.m. ET
• Hashtag United vs. Bumpy Pitch FC (Mixed) - May 29, 10:30 a.m. ET

You can watch TST live through NBC Sports, which will be showing top matches on NBC, Peacock and NBCSN. The remainder of the tournament's games can be streamed live on ESPN+ or ESPNU. Many games are also streamed for free on TST's YouTube channel.   

A variety of cuisines and flavors from around the world will be available for fans to munch on, including Che Empanadas, PineWurst, San Matteo Pizzeria e Cucina, Las Tortilleras and Jerk Man Island Cuisine.

The first TST Soccer Home Run Derby will be held on May 28, the second day of the event. Players will attempt to kick as many “home runs” as possible in one minute by clearing an eight-foot fence and striking balls served by a pitcher. The final will feature a best-of-five, penalty shootout-style until a winner is crowned.

Soccer Home Run Derby players in the men's and women's divisions will include a mix of former professionals, current players and fan-favorite TST personalities.

Villarreal CF will host free youth clinics for ages 8–16, led by their academy coaching staff from Spain. One lucky person will get to participate in a week-long academy clinic in Spain.

Fans can get up close with their favorite players for photo and autograph opportunities. Tournament meet and greets are planned throughout the tournament. Legendary players such as Landon Donovan, Carli Lloyd and Gerard Pique are among those set to meet fans this week. See a complete meet & greet schedule here.

Want tickets? Look here. Fans can buy tickets to either day and evening sessions. All tickets must be purchased in advance. Grounds passes guarantee access to every field during the session. As of Monday, tickets remained for the all-sessions bundle and for groups of 10 or more. VIP passes, private cabanas and other hospitality experiences are also available for purchase.

Parking passes can be purchased for day and evening sessions. They must be purchased in advance online. Prices start at $16.

To see when gates open and close for fans, check the festival schedule.

Clear bags of any size are permitted. Diaper bags and clutch purses (no larger than 4.5” x 6.5”) are allowed.