By: TST Staff
Legendary MMA Family Becomes Eighth Team to Join Inaugural TST Field
Over 350 Teams Have Applied for 32-Team Event
BOSTON, Mass. (Feb. 9, 2023) – The Soccer Tournament, the $1 million, winner-take-all, 7v7 world championship, today announced the acceptance of Gracie FC, organized by the legendary mixed martial arts family. Gracie FC will compete in the tournament’s inaugural 32-team event in Cary, NC from June 1-4, 2023.
Following the launch of the event on October 11, TST has received over 350 applicants for its 32-team field. The complete field will be revealed over the next few months.
<div style="padding:75% 0 0 0;position:relative;"><iframe src="https://player.vimeo.com/video/797717607?h=7c11a92194&badge=0&autopause=0&player_id=0&app_id=58479" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; fullscreen; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen style="position:absolute;top:0;left:0;width:100%;height:100%;" title="Gracie FC Accepted Into $1M TST Field"></iframe></div><script src="https://player.vimeo.com/api/player.js"></script>Gracie FC becomes the ninth publicly announced team in TST’s 32-team field, joining popular Welsh club Wrexham, former U.S. Men’s National Team star Clint Dempsey’s Team Dempsey, an alumni team of former U.S. Women’s National Team players organized by Heather O’Reilly, popular British football and esports club Hashtag United, historic Liga MX side Club Necaxa, among others.
One of the most famous names in mixed martial arts, the Gracie family has been credited with the creation of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and has been successful in MMA competitions for more than 80 years. Gracie FC will be organized by former jiu-jitsu world champion Gregor Gracie, and general manager Brett Hoffman. The coaching staff and front office also includes David Goodmark, Michael Earnest, and Mario Mercado. Mercado is the founder of Batsoi, and Gracie FC will be using Batstoi’s newest headgear, The Mercado, for their goalkeepers during TST.
Gracie, a native of Rio De Janeiro, Brazil, will build the team out with Brazilian players from some of the country’s biggest professional clubs.
“I can’t wait to be on the sidelines in June coaching our players to a championship,” said Gregor Gracie. “Don’t let our background fool you. We are coming into TST with a game plan that we feel will win it all. Our coaching staff and team will be built around seasoned champions in their own unique lives and careers. In every fight or tournament I enter, I always focus on winning it all and being champion. Gracie FC will be coming with the same mindset to submit our opponents and win TST’s $1M prize.
“When I heard about the launch of TST, I got a spark of an idea of bringing my passion for martial arts and sports, I immediately thought this would be a great opportunity for Gregor to be involved,” Brett Hoffman said. “He always talks about how much he loves soccer and grew up playing it so I figured what better way then to build a strong team full of Brazilians to compete to win the first ever TST for $1M dollars.”
Players will be revealed in the coming months through the team’s social media pages, @GracieFC.
Featuring an unprecedented, million dollar, winner-take-all prize, TST aims to become the defining world championship for 7v7 soccer, attracting the most competitive soccer players in the world to an annual, highly intense format that follows the World Cup structure, pinning 32 teams against each other in group play before moving into the knockout stages.
Those interested in buying tickets for the inaugural TST can do so by visiting TheTournament.com and joining the waitlist. Tickets go on sale March 1. Fans can also follow The Soccer Tournament on Twitter and Instagram at @TST7v7.
