The Soccer Tournament (TST) is Here
What you need to know about TST 2025, and where to watch if you can't make it to Cary
The Soccer Tournament (TST) returns to WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina today, running from June 4–9, 2025. The third annual competition promises a high-octane blend of elite competition, global soccer legends, celebrity sightings, influencer clout and high-stakes drama.
With both the men's and women's brackets offering $1 million winner-take-all prizes, TST 2025 is poised to up the summer exhibition game once again.
Soccer Sheet will be there all week, so follow us on Instagram for breaking news and continuous coverage.
⚽ What Is TST?
Launched in 2023 by the creators of The Basketball Tournament (TBT), TST is a 7v7 soccer competition featuring a fast-paced format with unique rules: no offsides, no slide tackles, kick-ins instead of throw-ins, and rolling substitutions.
The standout feature is “Target Score Time,” where after 40 minutes of play, the match continues until one team reaches the target score: one goal more than the leading team's tally. If no team scores within five minutes, players are gradually removed every five minutes until a goal is scored, ensuring every match ends with a game-winning golden goal.
TARGET SCORE TIME EXAMPLE: Wrexham leads CONCAFA 3-2 at the end of regulation. The TARGET SCORE is set to four: first team to hit it, wins it. If there is no winner after five minutes, the teams are reduced to 6v6 (or fewer - red cards still apply). Some games have gone all the way down to 2v2.
🏆 TST 2025: What to Expect
Men’s Tournament
Group play matches will take place June 4–5, with knockout rounds on June 6–8 and the final on June 9. The $1 million, 48-team men's bracket boasts a star-studded lineup:
Selección Potrero & Nani FC: One of the biggest storylines last year is back for the redux. Led by Manchester City legend Sergio Agüero, Potrero features top talent from his 7v7 tournament in Argentina. Captained by former Manchester United star Luís Nani, his team is returning after a runner-up finish in 2024.
Professional Powerhouses: Teams from the Big Five Leagues and beyond bring brand clout to the proceedings this year: Borussia Dortmund, FC Bayern Munich, AFC Bournemouth, West Ham United, Plymouth Argyle, Club América, Cagliari Calcio, Atlético de Madrid, and Villarreal CF.
The Celebrities and Influencers:
⚽ Pat McAfee is back leading CONCAFA SC, and he’ll be broadcasting The Pat McAfee Show live from TST. Check out QCSPod’s interview from last year with some of their key players (minus USMNT legend Brek Shea) on TikTok. Charlotte FC alumni Justin Meram joins the squad this year!
⚽ Hashtag United, founded by YouTuber Spencer Owen, also brings a hardcore fanbase.
⚽ USMNT YouTuber and internet personality Tactical Manager is debuting a side this year, so don’t expect any Berhalter-ball.Wrexham Red Dragons: The Welsh club returns with a mix of current and past players and new friends. You’ll see many Wrexham Red kits in the stands, and they are as close to a “home team” as you’ll find. Check out Soccer Sheet’s article on them from last year.
La Bombonera and Newtown Pride FC: The 2024 and 2023 champions, respectively, are both returning to try to become the first repeat TST winner.
Women’s Tournament
On the women’s side, the winner will also receive a $1 million grand prize. Equal pay and better odds, even with the field expanding from 8 to 16 teams! Group play runs from June 5–6, with knockout stages culminating in the championship match on June 9. The women's bracket features:
US Women: The defending champions reunite legends Carli Lloyd, Heather O’Reilly, and Ali Krieger on the field for the first time since 2016.
Solo FC: Another USWNT legend, Hope Solo, is entering a team for the first time.
NWSL Powerhouses North Carolina Courage and Angel City 7s: The hometown club and the celebrity-owned, HBO Max Angel City stars, are both back for their sophomore campaigns.
Wrexham Red Dragons: The 2025 FAW Women’s Cup runners-up from Welcome to Wrexham, and friends of Soccer Sheet, return to the TST Women’s Bracket following their trip to Asia for the HKFC Soccer Sevens tournament, where they were Cup runners-up.
📺 Where to Watch
ESPN+ will stream 29 select matches, while ESPNU will simulcast 20 of those, including the men’s and women’s title games. ESPN Deportes will also simulcast 11 games.
Herculez Gomez, Sebastian Salazar, and Alexis Nunes will headline the commentary team for the semifinals and finals. Other commentators include Tony Husband, Michael Lahoud, Elise Woodward, and friends of Charlotte FC, Lloyd Sam and Jessica Charman.
Tickets are still available at https://tst7v7.com/tickets/
Follow along with live stats at tst-stats.com
And stay tuned to Soccer Sheet for more TST coverage!
is a Soccer Sheet contributor and cohost of The Queen City Soccer Show.
 | A guest post by
|