The first The Soccer Tournament (TST) competition will take place the weekend of June 1, and will bring a number of nostalgic names to WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina.
The soccer extension of the wildly successful competition known as The Basketball Tournament, or TBT, The Soccer Tournament will award a $1 million cash prize to the winner of the 7-on-7 competition.
Styled like a FIFA World Cup tournament, the competition will feature a 32-team group stage followed by a 16-team knockout team tournament.
Former U.S. national team players, legendary players, and other stars from around Hollywood and other U.S. sports will all take part in the tournament to some extent.
Who is playing in TST in 2023?
Below are the teams with some of the most recognizable names to play in the inaugural edition of The Soccer Tournament.
Wrexham AFC
Owned by actors Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, non-league side Wrexham AFC has gained significant popularity in the United States following the club's feature series on Netflix, "Welcome to Wrexham." The club is sending a team to participate in TST with former players and club legends making up the squad. It was thought that the two owners may take part in the tournament, but they do not appear on the roster. Neither does goalkeeper Ben Foster, who played a massive role in the promotion push, but whose future with the club remains in question.
Team Dempsey
Former U.S. national team legend Clint Dempsey is coaching a team at the competition, and held open tryouts for anyone to prove their worth and be part of his squad. The biggest name on his team is former U.S. international Chris Wondolowski, who is the all-time leading scorer in Major League Soccer history. Other former U.S. internationals to appear on the roster are Jermaine Jones and Eddie Johnson. Dempsey's brother Ryan is also playing, though it's not yet known whether Clint himself will see the field as a player/coach.
Conrad & Beasley
Another two former U.S. men's national team players, Jimmy Conrad and DaMarcus Beasley, who were teammates at the 2006 World Cup, are also taking charge of a team. Conrad is on the roster as a player, but Beasley is strictly a GM and is not expected to play. Fringe former MLS players like Alex DeJohn and Chris Konopka, and Canadian international Dwayne De Rosario are the biggest names on the roster.
U.S. Women
The United States women's national team will send a group of former players to participate in the competition, including Heather O'Reilly and Lori Lindsey. Serving as coach for the team will be Mia Hamm with help from Heather Mitts, and team GM Michelle Akers.
Borussia Dortmund
The famous German club is sending a team with recognizable names on the roster. Most notably, former Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller, who played 16 years in net for BVB, is on the team, as are Kevin Grosskreutz and Dede.
West Ham United
West Ham's team in The Soccer Tournament features a myriad of recognizable names for any Premier League fan, including Carlton Cole, Ricardo Vaz Te, Matt Jarvis, and Jack Collison, all of whom played for the Hammers at one point.
Wolves
Similarly, the Wolves roster features names that fans will recognize: Bakary Sako is on the roster, as are Richard Stearman, Stephen Hunt, Leon Clarke, and a number of other former Wolves players.
Charlotte FC
With the event being held in Cary, N.C., just outside of Raleigh, it was only natural that the in-state MLS side became the first Major League Soccer team to announce its participation in the event.
Como 1907
Italian second-tier side Como 1907 will be representing Italy, and their list of players includes Spanish legend Cesc Fabregas. Another notable name on the roster is NBA Hall of Famer and established soccer fan Steve Nash, who is part owner of the Vancouver Whitecaps and at one point openly debated trying to play professionally once his basketball career concluded.
Nati SC
An FC Cincinnati alumnus group has organized Nati SC, with the inclusion of former Cincinnati Bengals (NFL) wide receiver Chad Johnson, better known as "Ochocinco." Also present is former Jamaican international Omar Cummings, along with Panamanian international Francisco Narbon.
2023 TST schedule and fixtures
The group stage will take place from June 1-2, while the knockout stage takes place June 2-4. The winner of the competition will take home the full $1 million cash prize, with the other 31 teams going home with nothing.
As in the case of the World Cup, the bracket is drawn prior to the tournament with eight groups of four teams each set to contest the opening group stage, which will send 16 teams on to the knockout portion.
TST Group Stage
Group A: Borussia Dortmund, Hoosier Army, Kingdom FC, Newtown Price FC
Group B: Blade & Grass FC, DMV Diplomats, Villita FC, Wolves FC
Group C: Club Necaxa, Hapoel Tel Aviv FC, SLC FC, Virginia Dream
Group D: Culture by Mo Ali FC, Dallas United, Far East United, West Ham United
Group E: Como 1907, Say Word FC, US Women, Wrexham Red Dragons
Group F: Conrad & Beasley United, Gracie FC, Hashtag United, Nati SC
Group G: Jackson TN Boom, Sneaky Fox FC, Team Dempsey, Zala FFF
Group H: Charlotte FC, Duke Sevens, North Carolina FC, Raleigh Rebels FC
TST Knockout Stage
Round of 16
| No. | Date | Time (ET) | Match |
| 1 | June 2 | TBD (6 - 11 p.m.) | 1st, Group A vs. 2nd, Group B |
| 2 | June 2 | TBD (6 - 11 p.m.) | 1st, Group C vs. 2nd, Group D |
| 3 | June 2 | TBD (6 - 11 p.m.) | 1st, Group E vs. 2nd, Group F |
| 4 | June 2 | TBD (6 - 11 p.m.) | 1st, Group G vs. 2nd, Group G |
| 5 | June 2 | TBD (6 - 11 p.m.) | 1st, Group B vs. 2nd, Group A |
| 6 | June 2 | TBD (6 - 11 p.m.) | 1st, Group D vs. 2nd, Group C |
| 7 | June 2 | TBD (6 - 11 p.m.) | 1st, Group F vs. 2nd, Group E |
| 8 | June 2 | TBD (6 - 11 p.m.) | 1st, Group H vs. 2nd, Group G |
Quarterfinals
| No. | Date | Time (ET) | Match |
| 1 | June 3 | TBD (12 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.) | Winner R16 No. 1 vs. Winner R16 No. 2 |
| 2 | June 3 | TBD (12 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.) | Winner R16 No. 3 vs. Winner R16 No. 4 |
| 3 | June 3 | TBD (12 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.) | Winner R16 No. 5 vs. Winner R16 No. 6 |
| 4 | June 3 | TBD (12 p.m. - 4:45 p.m.) | Winner R16 No. 7 vs. Winner R16 No. 8 |
Semifinals
| Date | Time | Match |
| June 3 | TBD (7 p.m. / 9:30 p.m.) | Winner QF No. 1 vs. Winner QF No. 2 |
| June 3 | TBD (7 p.m. / 9:30 p.m.) | Winner QF No. 3 vs. Winner QF No. 4 |
Final
| Date | Time (ET) | Match |
| June 4 | 3 p.m. | Winner SF No. 1 vs. Winner SF No. 2 |