From Wrexham to USWNT and from Noah Beck to Clint Dempsey: Everything you need to know about The Soccer Tournament's 32-team field
The Soccer Tournament will be a star-studded affair.
The 32-team, million-dollar, winner-take-all tournament has plenty of big names involved, It features top clubs from around the world as well as plenty of recognizable superstars, both from within and outside of the Beautiful Game.
From a group of ex-U.S. men's and women's national team stars with over 1,300 caps between them to some of social media's biggest names, there will be plenty of star power on the field vying for the $1 million cash prize.
But which teams are involved and who will be playing for each team? GOAL has you covered with everything you need to know about the 32-team field.
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Group A
Group A is headlined by German giants Borussia Dortmund, who are bringing a team that includes former legends like goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller. However, it's the inclusion of TikTok star Noah Beck that will raise the most eyebrows, with the former college soccer star joining Dortmund's side.
Hoosier Army, a team representing Indiana University alumni, will feature players from their 2012 National Championship team, while Kingdom FC will be a team organized by Reality TV stars Cody and Pauli Calafiore, with the latter a former member of the Colorado Rapids. Rounding out the group is Newtown Pride, an amateur club located in Sandy Hook, Connecticut.
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Group B
Premier League side Wolves will be bringing a team to TST, and their squad decisions should interesting.
In addition to former legends and current academy prospects from the UK and U.S., Wolves will also select players from their Golden Chance tryouts, which sees players competing for a chance to be in the squad for TST.
Blade & Grass FC will also have a Premier League flavor to it, with former USMNT stars Geoff Cameron and Brek Shea joining ex-Leicester City and Watford man Jordan Stewart in the squad. Villita FC, meanwhile, will have an indoor feel to it with players coming from the MASL's San Diego Sockers, while DMV Diplomats will see players representing D.C., Maryland and Virginia compete for the cash prize.
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Group C
Liga MX side Necaxa will be fielding a side in Group C, featuring Paulo Chavez, who earned 30 caps for the Mexico national team. They'll be joined by Israeli giants Hapoel Tel Aviv, featuring a squad of legends and academy players.
Also in Group C is SLCFC, Canada's sole representative, which consists of players from the Canadian Futsal National team and League1 Ontario, while semi-pro club Virginia Dream rounds out the group with a squad featuring former University of Virginia players and DMV natives.
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Group D
West Ham are set to bring a strong side to North Carolina, headlining Group D. The Hammers will bring several legends to the tournament, with Carlton Cole, Marlon Harewood and Matt Jarvis among them.
Twitch star Castro 1021's Dallas United will join them in Group D as part of a partnership with Dallas Soccer Alliance to feature some of the top players from the city and surrounding areas. Culture by Mo Ali will be led by former pro player turned content creator Mo Ali, who will be joined by former MLS center back Leonardo.
Finally, Far East United will complete the group featuring a team from countries across Southeast Asia, including national team players from the Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore and Thailand.
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Group E
Wrexham is bringing a team to America, with the recently-promoted to League Two team leading Group E. The Welsh side, owners by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, has risen to promise on the back of their reality show as well as their club up the English ladder. They'll bring a team headlined by Premier League veteran David Jones, who will serve as a player-coach.
There's plenty of star power to go around in this group, though, as a team of U.S. women's national team alumni will reunite for the U.S. Women team. Led by Heather O'Reilly, the team's roster includes Lori Lindsey, Kristine Lilly and Cat Whitehill with a coaching staff including Mia Hamm, Michelle Akers and Heather Mitts.
Cesc Fabregas, meanwhile, will suit up as a player-coach from Como 1907, the Serie B club he plays for and part-owns. Say Word FC, the group's final team, will pay homage to North Caroline and all of the Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the U.S.
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Group F
USMNT stars Jimmy Conrad and DaMarcus Beasley, both of whom played at the 2006 World Cup, have come together to create Conrad & Beasley. The former will serve as a player-coach, with the latter being as the general manager of a team that will include former MLS star Dwayne De Rosario.
Social media darlings Hashtag United will join them in Group F, with the club, created and owned by YouTube star Spencer Owen, currently playing in the seventh-tier in England after winning the Isthmian League.
Nati SC will feature a team of FC Cincinnati players that played for the team from its USL incepttion until its MLS leap in 2018. However, they'll be joined by a special guest, Chad "OchoCinco" Johnson, the former NFL star who once had a trial with Sporting KC.
The former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver won't be the only cross-sport star in this group, though, with Brazillian Jiu-Jitsu star Gregor Gracie, a member of the legendary Gracie family, headlining a roster that a Brazilian flavor.
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Group G
The USMNT influence will carry into Group G, which will be headlined by Team Dempsey, coached by none other than American icon Clint Dempsey.
Team Dempsey features some heavy-hitters, including his former U.S. teammates Eddie Johnson and Jermaine Jones as well as ex-MLS winger Arturo Alvarez.
Expect a friendly rivalry between Team Dempsey and Sneaky Fox FC, organized by ex-MLS MVP Mike Magee and featuring Landon Donovan, Alan Gordon, Nick Rimando and Jay Demerit.
Magee, Donovan and Gordon's ex-LA Galaxy teammate AJ DeLaGarza leads Zala FFF, which also includes former New England Revolution star Lee Nguyen.
Finally, Jackson TN Boom will complete the group, featuring a team from Jackson, Tennessee.
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Group H
Charlotte FC will be the lone MLS representative in the field, as they play to honor the late Anton Walkes, who died earlier this year. All of the club's winnings will be donated to the Aw5 Family Fund, which was set up after the defender's death.
Duke Sevens will feature Duke University Alumni, which will be led by the program's head coach John Kerr, while the North Carolina flavor continues with NCFC, who will be playing in their home stadium, WakeMed Soccer Park.
The final team in the group will also be representing the state, with Raleigh Rebels FC, the two-time Omega Ball champions, joining after previously winning titles in the NISL and Queen City Cup.
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