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There is a soccer event being held in North Carolina where you can watch Cesc Fabregas, Clint Dempsey, Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson, and Wrexham all take the field at the same time.

The Soccer Tournament, called “TST” for short, is holding its inaugural competition, riding the coattails of the wildly popular TBT, or The Basketball Tournament, which began in 2014.

The Basketball Tournament rose in popularity in part by introducing the “Elam Ending” to the world of basketball, and TST will look to emulate that with a similar format.

New rules, former star players, a World Cup format, and a massive $1 million cash prize are all on show at The Soccer Tournament. The Sporting News brings you all the details regarding this summer’s debut event.

MORE: All the star players and key teams taking part in the 2023 TST

What is The Soccer Tournament and where is it played?

The Soccer Tournament, or TST, is a 7-on-7 tournament that will award a $1 million cash prize to the last team standing, while the rest of the 31 teams in the field walks home with nothing.

The matches in the inaugural competition will take place between Thursday, June 1 and Sunday, June 4 at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, N.C.

The Soccer Tournament is set up like a World Cup with 32 teams, a group stage and single-elimination knockouts that begin in the Round of 16.

TST rules for The Soccer Tournament

Here’s a rundown of what you need to know about the official tournament rules

  • 7-on-7 (six outfield player, plus a goalkeeper)
  • Rosters of 10-18 players
  • Unlimited subs which can be made at any point in a game
  • No offside rule
  • No slide tackles
  • No throw-ins
  • No draws
  • 20-minute halves followed by an Elam Ending (called “Target Score Time”)

TST’s most notable rule quirk is the “Elam Ending” introduced in The Basketball Tournament to rave reviews.

Here’s how it works in The Soccer Tournament: Matches consist of two 20-minute halves, after which the game is not over. It enters “Target Score Time” which is not timed (i.e. no clock).

To win the game, one of the teams needs to hit the target score, which is always one more goal than the total scored by the highest-scoring team at the end of 40 minutes of regulation.

For example, if the score is 3-1 at the end of regulation, the target score for either team to hit becomes 4 (one more than 3), and the first team that reaches 4 goals wins the game.

Should 10 minutes elapse in this untimed period without the target score reached, one player will be removed from each team to create a more open game. An additional player will be removed from each side every five minutes until one of the teams reaches the target score.

The “Elam Ending” ensures there are no draws, and every game ends on a goal being scored.

2023 TST schedule, standings

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 all 31 other teams going home with nothing.

The bracket has been predetermined, with eight groups of four teams each set to contest the opening stage. The top two teams from each group advance to the Round of 16.

If teams are tied on points in the group stage, head-to-head record is the first tiebreaker, followed by goal differential.

TST 2023 group stage

TST Group A standings

Team Games Wins Losses Goals
For
Goals
Against
Goal
Diff.
1. Newtown Pride FC-Q 3 2 1 12 3 +9
2. Kingdom FC-Q 3 2 1 13 7 +6
3. Hoosier Army-E 3 2 1 11 9 +4
4. Borussia Dortmund-E 3 0 3 3 20 -17
  • Q = Qualified to Round of 16
  • E = Eliminated

TST Group A schedule

Date Match
Thu, June 1 B. Dortmund 2-5 Hoosier’s Army
Thu, June 1 Kingdom FC 2-1 Newtown Pride FC
Thu, June 1 B. Dortmund 0-8 Newtown Pride FC
Thu, June 1 Hoosier’s Army 5-4 Kingdom FC
Fri, June 2 B. Dortmund 1-7 Kingdom FC
Fri, June 2 Hoosier’s Army 1-3 Newtown Pride FC

TST Group B standings

Team Games Wins Losses Goals
For
Goals
Against
Goal
Diff.
1. Blade & Grass FC-Q 3 3 0 9 6 +3
2. DMV Diplomats-Q 3 1 2 10 10 0
3. Wolves-E 3 1 2 11 12 -1
4. Villita FC-E 3 1 2 9 11 -2
  • Q = Qualified to Round of 16
  • E = Eliminated

TST Group B schedule

Date Match
Thu, June 1 Wolves 3-6 Villita FC
Thu, June 1 Blade & Grass 3-2 DMV Diplomats
Thu, June 1 Blade & Grass 4-3 Wolves 
Thu, June 1 DMV Diplomats 6-2 Villita FC
Fri, June 2 DMV Diplomats 2-5 Wolves FC
Fri, June 2 Blade & Grass 2-1 Villita FC

TST Group C standings

Team Games Wins Losses Goals
For
Goals
Against
Goal
Diff.
1. Hapoel Tel Aviv-Q 3 3 0 13 5 +8
2. SLC FC-Q 3 2 1 8 7 +1
3. Club Necaxa-E 3 1 2 9 10 -1
4. Virginia Dream-E 3 0 3 4 12 -8
  • Q = Qualified to Round of 16
  • E = Eliminated

TST Group C schedule

Date Match
Thu, June 1 Club Necaxa 3-4 SLC FC
Thu, June 1 Hapoel Tel Aviv 6-1 Virginia Dream
Thu, June 1 Club Necaxa 2-3 Hapoel Tel Aviv
Thu, June 1 SLC FC 2-0 Virginia Dream
Fri, June 2 Hapoel Tel Aviv 4-2 SLC FC
Fri, June 2 Club Necaxa 4-3 Virginia Dream

TST Group D standings

Team Games Wins Losses Goals
For
Goals
Against
Goal
Diff.
1. Culture by Mo Ali FC-Q 2 1 1 5 4 +1
2. Far East United-Q 2 1 1 4 4 0
3. West Ham-E 2 1 1 6 7 -1
4. Dallas United***
  • Q = Qualified to Round of 16
  • E = Eliminated

TST Group D schedule

Date Match Time (ET)
Thu, June 1 Far East United 4-2 West Ham  
Thu, June 1 Culture by Mo Ali FC 3-1 Dallas United  
Thu, June 1 Dallas United 2-0*** West Ham  
Thu, June 1 Culture by Mo Ali FC 2-0 Far East United  
Fri, June 2 Culture by Mo Ali FC 3-4 West Ham  
Fri, June 2 Dallas United vs. Far East United Cancelled

** = Dallas United vs. West Ham was suspended “pending an investigation into allegations of use or intent to use a racial slur.” Dallas was leading 2-0 at the time.

The investigation concluded that “Dallas United violated TST’s code of conduct” and that “the best path forward is Dallas United withdrawing from the competition,” according to a statement from organizers.

Organizers also subsequently cancelled Dallas United’s final match vs. Far East United.


TST Group E standings

Team Games Wins Losses Goals
For
Goals
Against
Goal
Diff.
1. Wrexham-Q 3 3 0 23 3 +20
2. Como 1907-Q 3 2 1 15 7 +8
3. Say Word FC-E 3 1 2 9 14 -5
4. US Women-E 3 0 3 1 24 -23
  • Q = Qualified to Round of 16
  • E = Eliminated

TST Group E schedule

Date Match
Thu, June 1 US Women 0-5 Say Word FC
Thu, June 1 Como 1907 2-3 Wrexham
Thu, June 1 US Women 0-12 Wrexham
Thu, June 1 Como 1907 6-3 Say Word FC
Fri, June 2 Say Word FC 1-8 Wrexham
Fri, June 2 Como 1907 7-1 US Women

TST Group F standings

Team Games Wins Losses Goals
For
Goals
Against
Goal
Diff.
1. Hashtag Utd-Q 3 3 0 13 8 +5
2. Conrad & Beasley Utd-Q 3 2 1 12 12 0
3. Nati SC-E 3 1 2 9 10 -1
4. Gracie FC-E 3 0 3 6 10 -4
  • Q = Qualified to Round of 16
  • E = Eliminated

TST Group F schedule

Date Match
Thu, June 1 Hashtag United 4-3 Nati SC
Thu, June 1 Conrad & Beasley 4-3 Gracie FC
Thu, June 1 Conrad & Beasley 3-6 Hashtag United
Thu, June 1 Gracie FC 1-3 Nati SC
Fri, June 2 Conrad & Beasley 5-3 Nati SC
Fri, June 2 Gracie FC 2-3 Hashtag United

TST Group G standings

Team Games Wins Losses Goals
For
Goals
Against
Goal
Diff.
1. Sneaky Fox FC-Q 3 3 0 9 3 +6
2. ZALA FFF-Q 3 1 2 12 8 +4
3. Jackson TN Boom-E 3 1 2 9 11 -3
4. Team Dempsey-E 3 1 2 6 14 -8
  • Q = Qualified to Round of 16
  • E = Eliminated

TST Group G schedule

Date Match
Thu, June 1 Team Dempsey 5-4 Jackson TN Boom
Thu, June 1 Sneaky Fox 3-2 ZALA FFF
Thu, June 1 Sneaky Fox 3-0 Team Dempsey
Thu, June 1 Jackson TN Boom 4-3 ZALA FFF
Fri, June 2 Team Dempsey 1-7 ZALA FFF
Fri, June 2 Jackson TN Boom 1-3 Sneaky Fox

TST Group H standings

Team Games Wins Losses Goals
For
Goals
Against
Goal
Diff.
1. Raleigh Rebels 2 2 0 11 5 +6
2. N. Carolina FC 2 1 1 11 9 +2
3. Duke Sevens 2 1 1 5 7 -2
4. Charlotte FC 2 0 2 5 11 -6
  • Q = Qualified to Round of 16
  • E = Eliminated

TST Group H schedule

Date Match Time (ET)
Thu, June 1 Charlotte FC 3-6 North Carolina FC  
Thu, June 1 Duke Sevens 0-5 Raleigh Rebels  
Thu, June 1 Charlotte FC 2-5 Duke Sevens  
Thu, June 1 North Carolina FC 5-6 Raleigh Rebels  
Fri, June 2 Charlotte FC vs. Raleigh Rebels 2 p.m.
Fri, June 2 Duke Sevens vs. North Carolina FC 2 p.m.

TST Knockout Stage

Round of 16

Match
No.
Date Match Time (ET)
1 Fri, June 2 Newtown Pride (A1) vs. DMV Diplomats (B2) 6 p.m.
2 Fri, June 2 Hapoel Tel Aviv (C1) vs. Far East United (D2) 6:15 p.m.
3 Fri, June 2 Wrexham Red Dragons (E1) vs. Conrad & Beasley (F2) 7:15 p.m.
4 Fri, June 2 G1 vs. H2 7:30 p.m.
5 Fri, June 2 Blade & Grass FC (B1) vs. Kingdom FC (A2) 8:30 p.m.
6 Fri, June 2 Culture by Mo Ali (D1) vs. SLC FC (C2) 8:45 p.m.
7 Fri, June 2 Hashtag United (F1) vs. Como 1907 (E2) 9:45 p.m.
8 Fri, June 2 H1 vs. G2 10 p.m.

Quarterfinals

Match
No.
Date Match Time (ET)
1 Sat, June 3 Winner R16 No. 1 vs. Winner R16 No. 2 12 p.m.
2 Sat. June 3 Winner R16 No. 3 vs. Winner R16 No. 4 1:15 p.m.
3 Sat. June 3 Winner R16 No. 5 vs. Winner R16 No. 6 2:30 p.m.
4 Sat. June 3 Winner R16 No. 7 vs. Winner R16 No. 8 3:45 p.m.

Semifinals

Date Match Time
Sat, June 3 Winner QF No. 1 vs. Winner QF No. 2 7 p.m.
Sat, June 3 Winner QF No. 3 vs. Winner QF No. 4 8:30 p.m.

Final

Date Match Time (ET)
June 4 Winner SF No. 1 vs. Winner SF No. 2 3 p.m.

Source

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