Dallas Cup announces first international competitors for 2022 edition

DALLAS, Texas – Dallas Cup, the oldest international youth soccer tournament in North America, has announced its first international competitors for the 2022 edition of the tournament.

A quartet of teams from Latin America are among the first teams to be announced for the Under-19 Gordon Jago Super Group as Mexican rivals Tigres UANL and CF Monterrey accepted invitations to the elite bracket, along with the youth National Teams for Panama and El Salvador. In total, more than 230 teams, representing 14 countries, will compete in the 2022 Dallas Cup this April.

Due to the pandemic, the 2019 tournament was the most recent Dallas Cup to feature a Super Group, as well as international participants. That year, Tigres hoisted the club’s fourth Under 19 Super Group “Boot and Ball” championship trophy, after defeating Spain’s Villarreal CF in the final, 2-1. In 2018, the Mexican side defeated the Premier League’s Arsenal FC, 1-0, in the title match. Tigres looks to become the first team to win three consecutive Super Group titles since the elite bracket was formed in 1990.

Also hailing from Mexico, Tigres’ rival CF Monterrey is also set to play in the 2022 Gordon Jago Super Group. Rayados have won a Dallas Cup record 16 championship titles across all age groups, but the Mexican side is still seeking their first Super Group title. In 2019, CF Monterrey reached the Super Group semi-finals for the third consecutive year but fell short against aforementioned Tigres in the match.

The 2022 Gordon Jago Super Group will also feature the youth national teams for Panama and El Salvador. The 2022 Dallas Cup marks the 15th tournament to feature a youth national team. Costa Rica was the last national team to hoist the “Boot and Ball” when they claimed the U19 title back in 2014.

The 2022 Dallas Cup is set to kick off on April 10 and will feature Boys’ Under-12-Under 19 divisions. The boys’ tournament will be played concurrently with the second annual Dallas Cup Girls Invitational, featuring Girls Under-15-Under-19 divisions.