Upcoming season or competition: 2024 | |
Sport | Association football (7-on-7) |
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Founded | 2023 |
Founder | Jon Mugar Dan Friel |
Owner(s) | TBT Enterprises, LLC |
CEO | Jon Mugar |
Motto | $1 million prize, winner-take-all. |
No. of teams | 32 |
Countries | United States |
Headquarters | Boston, Massachusetts |
Most recent champion(s) | Newtown Pride FC (2023) |
Most titles | Newtown Pride FC (1 title) |
TV partner(s) | NBC Sports (2023) ESPN (2024-present) |
Streaming partner(s) | Peacock, YouTube, Facebook Watch |
Tournament format | Multi-stage tournament |
Official website | thetournament |
The Soccer Tournament (TST) is a seven-a-side association football tournament played in the United States, established by TBT Enterprises, creator of The Basketball Tournament (TBT). TST was announced on October 11, 2022 to feature 32 teams with a $1 million winner-take-all prize.[1][2][3] TST is partly owned by Golden State Warriors point guard Chris Paul.[4]
The first edition took place in Cary, North Carolina from June 1–4, 2023.[1] Newtown Pride FC won the initial tournament along with the $1 million prize.[5]
Matches are played on a reduced-size field with slightly smaller goals than normal and consist of 20-minute halves. The Elam Ending, arguably TBT's most iconic feature, has been adapted to a soccer setting; after the end of the second half, the remainder of the match consists of "Target Score Time", with the target score being set by adding one goal to the leading (or tied) team's score, i.e. if a game is standing at 3–1 after full-time, the target score will be set to 4. The game ends once the target score is reached by either team. If the target is not reached after 5 minutes, one outfield player from each team exits the field until only one is left, with the process continuing every 5 minutes until the winning goal is scored.[6][7]
Additional rule changes compared to regulation football include the prohibition of sliding tackles, the prohibition of punting or drop-kicks by goalkeepers, throw-ins being replaced by indirect free kicks, and the absence of offside.[8]
Year | Team |
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2023 | Newtown Pride FC |
During the match between West Ham United F.C. and Dallas United, players of West Ham walked off the pitch after an alleged racial slur said by a Dallas player.[9][10] After an investigation, TST and Dallas mutually agreed in Dallas United's withdrawal from the tournament.[9]