Five World Cup countries represented in Opening Day stadium games

Dr Pepper Dallas Cup, the oldest and most prestigious international youth soccer tournament in the United States, has announced the Gordon Jago Super Group matchups for the Cotton Bowl Stadium games.  Opening day will be on Sunday, April 13, and will feature a triple-header to be played at the newly renovated Cotton Bowl Stadium. Games at the Cotton Bowl will continue on Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday of Dallas Cup week and tickets for these games can be purchased at dallascup.com. Dr Pepper Dallas Cup will be celebrating its 35^th anniversary in 2014 and will take place from Sunday, April 13 through Sunday, April 20. 

The tournament’s first Cotton Bowl match will have the Gordon Jago Super Group reigning champion, English side Fulham FC, taking on the FC Dallas U18 Academy at 12:30pm. At 3:00pm CD Guadalajara (“Chivas”) of Mexico will play 2013 Gordon Jago Super Group semifinalists, Fluminense, from Brazil. The annual “Welcome World” Opening Ceremonies, featuring all 184 Dr Pepper Dallas Cup XXXV teams, will start at 5:00pm. The action will conclude with the marquee game of the day featuring the United States U20 Men’s National Team vs. Argentine powerhouse, River Plate, at 6:30pm. 

The twelve previously announced Gordon Jago Super Group teams have been divided into three brackets of four teams each. The Bracket Champions, along with the best second place finisher, will advance to the Gordon Jago Super Group semi-finals, to be played at the Cotton Bowl on Friday, April 18.  The 2014 Gordon Jago Super Group brackets are:

Bracket A                                                             Bracket B                                                             Bracket C_________              

Fulham FC (ENG)                                              Anderlecht (BEL)                                              River Plate (ARG)

Coritiba (BRA)                                                    Fluminense (BRA)                                            Eintracht Frankfurt (GER)

IF Brommapojkarna (SWE)                           CD Guadalajara (MEX)                                   UANL Tigres (MEX)

FC Dallas Academy (USA)                             LA Galaxy Academy (USA)                           U20 National Team (USA)

In a first for the Dr Pepper Dallas Cup, Wednesday’s Cotton Bowl Stadium matchups will not be decided until after the first two rounds of group games have been played.  This will ensure that the most dramatic games, featuring optimum matchups, will be showcased on the Cotton Bowl field.

Single event tickets range from $15 for adults to $5 for kids.  Discounted week-long tournament passes for all five Cotton Bowl match days start at only $50 for adults, $20 for kids.  Additional games will be played throughout the week, free of charge, at the Classic League Soccer Complex at Richland College and the new Elm Fork Athletic Complex in Northwest Dallas. Tickets can be purchased at dallascup.com.

Dr Pepper Dallas Cup Cotton Bowl Stadium Schedule

Sunday – April 13
12:30pm       Fulham FC (ENG) vs. FC Dallas U18 Academy (USA)

3:00pm         CD Guadalajara “Chivas” (MEX) vs. Fluminense (BRA)

5:00pm         Welcome World Opening Ceremonies

6:30pm         U20 National Team (USA) vs. River Plate (ARG)

Wednesday – April 16
5:00pm         Gordon Jago Super Group games to be determined

7:30pm         Gordon Jago Super Group games to be determined

Friday – April 18

5:00pm           Super Group Semi-Final

7:30pm          Super Group Semi-Final

Saturday – April 19

10:00am         U13 Championship Match

12:30pm         U14 Championship Match

3:00pm           U15 Championship Match

5:30pm           U16 Championship Match

Sunday – April 20

9:30am           U17 Championship Match

12:30pm         Super 17s Championship

3:00pm           U19 Championship Match

6:00pm           Gordon Jago Super Group Championship Match

Tickets can be purchased here 

Dr Pepper Dallas Cup announced today that tickets for its stadium games are now on sale and can be purchased at dallascup.com. The prestigious international youth soccer tournament, celebrating its 35^th anniversary in 2014, will run from Sunday, April 13 through Sunday, April 20. 

All stadium games will be played at the historic Cotton Bowl, which recently completed a $25 million renovation.  Guests will notice the changes as soon as they enter through the newly refurbished main entrance.  Once inside, spectators will enjoy expanded concourses, improved concession areas, new restroom facilities, and added video displays on the concourse and inside the stadium. 

Single event tickets range from $15 for adults to $5 for kids.  Discounted week-long tournament passes for all five Cotton Bowl match days start at only $50 for adults, $20 for kids.  Additional games will be played throughout the week, free of charge, at the Classic League Soccer Complex at Richland College and the new Elm Fork Athletic Complex in Northwest Dallas. 

The first of three exciting Gordon Jago Super Group matches will take place at 12:30pm on opening day.  Games will continue at 3:00pm, and the marquee game will kick off at 6:30pm. The annual “Welcome World Opening Ceremonies”, featuring all Dr Pepper Dallas Cup teams, will start at 5:00pm and will take place on the Cotton Bowl field.

Stadium games will continue with a doubleheader on Wednesday, April 16 at 5:00pm and 7:30pm. “Championship Weekend” will kick off at the Cotton Bowl on Friday, April 18 with the Gordon Jago Super Group semifinals taking place at 5:00pm and 7:30pm.  Saturday, April 19 and Sunday, April 20 will see the championship games of all age groups taking place on the stadium field. The final match of Dr Pepper Dallas Cup XXXV will be the Gordon Jago Super Group final which will kick off at 6:00pm on Sunday. A full stadium game schedule, with matchups, will be released in the coming days.

In celebration of the 35^th anniversary tournament, the Gordon Jago Super Group consists of one of the strongest line ups ever, with over half of the participating clubs having previously won Dallas Cup Championships.  The twelve clubs, representing eight different countries, are:

Argentina

River Plate

Belgium

Anderlecht

Brazil

Fluminense F.C.

Coritiba – 2012 Gordon Jago Super Champion

England

Fulham F.C. – 2013 Gordon Jago Super Champion

Germany

Eintracht Frankfurt – 2011 Gordon Jago Super Co-Champion

Mexico

CD Guadalajara (Chivas) – 2008 U14 Champion

UANL Tigres – 2011 Gordon Jago Super Co-Champion

Sweden

IF Brommapojkarna – 2013 U19 Champion

United States

U.S. U20 Men’s National Team

FC Dallas Academy – 2011 U15 Champion

LA Galaxy Academy

(Note: most recent Championship is listed)

FC Dallas Youth to provide bulk of tournament’s volunteer base

The Dr Pepper Dallas Cup has announced that FC Dallas Youth has become the new Host Club of the prestigious international youth soccer tournament as part of a multi-year agreement. As Host Club, FC Dallas Youth will provide the tournament with the core of its volunteer base.

The Dallas Cup, celebrating its 35^th anniversary in 2014, has relied heavily on volunteers from the North Texas soccer community to help grow its reputation as one of the most elite youth tournaments in the world. In all, more than 1,000 volunteers are needed each year during tournament week to ensure its smooth operation.

 “FC Dallas has one of the preeminent youth academies in the nation and the Dr Pepper Dallas Cup is thrilled to partner with them to supply the tournament with a strong volunteer base,” said Dr Pepper Dallas Cup Executive Director, Andy Swift.  “Our volunteers are the lifeblood of the tournament, and thanks to their famous Texas hospitality, the Dallas Cup has been able to provide its participants the best and most unique tournament experience possible for 35 years. We look forward to working with FC Dallas and the families of their numerous teams to ensure we carry on with that tradition.”

Founded in 2005, FC Dallas Youth is the largest competitive youth soccer club in North Texas with more than 170 teams and 3,000 players in the DFW metroplex. Since 2009, more than 100 student athletes have graduated from the club and gone to universities to continue their soccer and academic careers. Over that same period, eleven home grown players have signed professional contracts with the FC Dallas first team to embark on a professional soccer career. In 2014, FC Dallas Youth will have 13 teams, representing each age group, participating in the Dr Pepper Dallas Cup.

“The entire FC Dallas family is very excited to become the newest Host Club of the Dr Pepper Dallas Cup Tournament,” said FC Dallas President, Dan Hunt. “We as an organization have had a long standing relationship with this tournament which we consider to be one of the finest youth tournaments in the world, and now to be able to take that relationship to the next level is an absolute honor. We look forward to working with Andy Swift and the rest of the Dr Pepper Dallas Cup leadership to build on this wonderful event.”

FC Dallas becomes just the third Host Club in the tournament’s history, which was founded by the original Host Club, Texas Longhorns SC, in 1980.  Dr Pepper Dallas Cup XXXV will run from April 13^th through April 20^th, 2014. Games will be played at the historic Cotton Bowl Stadium, the Classic League Soccer Complex at Richland College, and the new Elm Fork Athletic Complex in Northwest Dallas.

Dr Pepper Dallas Cup and adidas Announce

Multi-Year Agreement

 Dr Pepper Dallas Cup is pleased to announce a multi-year partnership with adidas, making the iconic sportswear company the exclusive apparel and product provider for the elite international youth tournament. As part of the partnership, adidas will provide match balls, official tournament apparel and gear, and a wide range of adidas/Dr Pepper Dallas Cup licensed products. Additionally, adidas will provide the Dallas Cup with assistance in securing Super Group participants.

"adidas Soccer is proud to partner with Dallas Cup and support the most storied youth soccer event in the country", said Peter Withers Sports Marketing Manager for adidas Soccer. "The history of Dallas Cup is unrivaled, and the competition has become the breeding ground for the top youth players in the country and the world. adidas Soccer strives to build, support, and nurture events and programs that create opportunities for our sport to grow and players to get better.  This event allows our MLS Academies and top-level clubs to test themselves against the world's best in a true player development atmosphere."

The Dallas Cup will be celebrating its 35th anniversary in 2014. Clubs participating in this year’s tournament include Premier League U18 Champions Fulham FC, popular Mexican side CD Guadalajara, and 2013 Super Group Semifinalists, Fluminese FC of Brazil. Dr Pepper Dallas Cup XXXV will run from April 13th through April 20th, 2014.

 “We are thrilled to welcome adidas, the global leader in soccer, to the Dr Pepper Dallas Cup family,” said Executive Director Andy Swift. “It is a tremendous honor for our organization to be associated with a brand that has such a significant history of supporting the world’s most important tournaments, such as the FIFA World Cup, the Olympics Games, the UEFA Champions League, and the FIFA U-20 World Cup. adidas’ assistance in securing globally recognized teams ensures that we will continue to bring to Dallas the highest level of competition possible.” 

In conjunction with the new partnership, it was announced today that Argentine powerhouse, CA River Plate, and the preeminent Belgium club, RSC Anderlecht, will compete in the Gordon Jago Super Group for the 2014 tournament. Both clubs hold the distinction of having claimed the most first division league championships for their countries.  This marks Anderlecht’s debut in the Gordon Jago Super Group and River Plate’s first appearance since 2009.

Dr Pepper Dallas Cup Announces Addition of Under 17 Super Group

“Super 17s” part of the tournament’s 35^th anniversary celebration

DALLAS, Texas (Monday, Feb. 11, 2014) – In commemoration of its 35^th anniversary tournament, Dr Pepper Dallas Cup announced today the addition of the Super 17s for the 2014 tournament. Composed of six international and six domestic teams, the Super 17s bracket will provide the U-17 age group a standout division similar to the U-19’s esteemed Gordon Jago Super Group.

“The quality of teams that applied for the U-17 age group this year was once again tremendous,” said Dr Pepper Dallas Cup Executive Director, Andy Swift. “Due to the number of exceptional teams, we were able to create a twelve-team Super Group while not diminishing the regular U-17 bracket, which will still consist of 28 highly regarded domestic and international teams.”

The creation of the Super 17s allows the tournament to accept 25% more teams to the U-17 age group than in previous years, an important aspect to the numerous scouts and college coaches that attend the annual event. The twelve teams that will participate in the Super 17s hail from five countries and four states. Dr Pepper Dallas Cup XXXV will run from April 13^th through April 20^th, 2014, with the Super 17s final being played on April 20^th at the Cotton Bowl Stadium.

2014 Dr Pepper Dallas Cup Super 17s Participants

Club Name                                                                          Country/State

Aalborg BK                                                                          Denmark

CF Monterrey Rayados                                                  Mexico

Club America                                                                     Mexico

Costa Rica U17 National Team                                    Costa Rica

IF Brommapojkarna                                                        Sweden

Tigres UANL                                                                       Mexico

Boca United Gold                                                             Florida

CZ Elite                                                                                 California

Dallas Texans U16 Academy                                        Texas

FC Copa Academy Juniors                                            New Jersey

FC Golden State Diamond                                            California

UFA New Jersey Strikers                                               New Jersey

Since 1980, youth soccer teams from around the globe have traveled to Dallas each spring to test themselves in the Dr Pepper Dallas Cup.   While not all players can fulfill their dreams of finishing as Dallas Cup champions, they are assured of carrying the special memories of tournament week for the rest of their lives. As the 35^th anniversary of the Dallas Cup approaches, we reflect upon its uniqueness, and why teams from all over country, and all parts of the world, covet an invitation to participate in the prestigious tournament. 

Even the most casual followers of the beautiful game are able to recognize the names of the internationally renowned teams that have played in the Dallas Cup.  World soccer powers like Barcelona, Boca Juniors, Arsenal, AC Milan, and Chelsea have all brought their best youth players to Dallas, with iconic brands such as Manchester United, Real Madrid, CD Guadalajara, Sao Paulo, and Liverpool among those that have earned the honor of having their names etched on the famous “Boot and Ball” trophy.

Certainly, top-level competition helps attract the very best youth teams to Dallas every year. But what really enables the Dallas Cup to stand above all other youth tournaments is world-class refereeing.  Partnerships with CONCACAF, the United States Soccer Federation, The English Premier League, and multiple other Football Associations from around the world, ensure that participating teams benefit from diverse and first class officiating. In 2013 alone, thirty-three FIFA-level referees participated in the Dallas Cup.  The tournament makes it possible for youth players from all over the world to have the privilege of having their games officiated by referees that have worked professional league finals, UEFA Championship games, and even World Cup matches.  The high level of refereeing is undoubtedly one of the biggest reasons the Dr Pepper Dallas Cup is internationally recognized as one of the premier youth soccer tournaments in the world.

Of course, world-class teams develop world-class players, and there has been no shortage of illustrious players that participated in Dallas Cup as up and coming stars.  In fact, the list of Dallas Cup alumni is a Who’s Who of world soccer.  English greats like David Beckham, Michael Owen, Peter Crouch, and Wayne Rooney have all graced the Dallas Cup fields with their talent.  American heroes such as Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey, and Michael Bradley gave us a sneak preview of the current generation of U.S. national team stars. Raul, Kleberson, and Robinho were Spanish and Brazilian one-name wonders who created a buzz with their silky play, quickly earning “must see” status among tournament spectators.  And Chicharito, Rafa Marquez, and Giovani Dos Santos all starred in Dallas Cup before becoming World Cup heroes for Mexico. These are a few among the hundreds of soccer legends that the Dallas Cup has had the privilege to showcase over thirty-four years.

It is not just the on-field quality that makes the Dallas Cup unique. The tournament also developed the Homestay program, which pairs up players from the international teams to stay with the families of local participants.  Many long-lasting friendships have developed from the initial cultural exchange created through the Homestay program.  Additionally, the Dallas Cup also provides for cultural-enlightenment through the development of its Peace Team initiatives.  The Peace Teams have bestowed on us unique, historic moments, such as when Catholic and Protestants from Ireland, Shiite and Sunni Muslims from Iraq, and Israeli and Palestinians boys played side by side as teammates in past Dallas Cups.

It should be noted, all of this is made possible by the tireless efforts of our dedicated volunteers, some of whom have been a part of the Dallas Cup family for decades.  As the 35^th Dr Pepper Dallas Cup quickly approaches, we invite you to celebrate the tournament’s history with us.  Look for future editions of Quick Kicks to find out more about all the different and interesting aspects of the Dallas Cup, and be sure to continue to check our website for the latest tournament news, and follow us on Twitter and Facebook for the latest updates.