San Diego FC and Right to Dream are hosting the inaugural Right to Dream Cup presented by Dexcom at the Sharp Healthcare Performance Center this weekend, October 10-11th, bringing youth talent together from Monterrey, Tijuana, and San Diego for a shared competitive and cultural experience with an emphasis on the Right to Dream core pillars of elite football development, excellence in education, and character development.
Approximately 200 players across 3 teams with 3 age groups will compete in a tournament that crowns a winner based on cumulative points across all age groups. The teams and groups are as follows.
PARTICIPATING CLUBS:
San Diego FC’s Right to Dream Academy: U-13, U-14, U-16
Club Tijuana Academy: U-13, U-14, U-16
Club de Fútbol Monterrey Academy: U-13, U-14, U-16
FORMAT:
- Each age group will play in an 11v11 format, with each game being 3 periods of 30 minutes
- At the end of Day 2, there will be one winner from each age group (3)
- The team winner from each age group will be the team to score more goals on both days
- The first tie-breaker will be a better goal differential; the second is more cumulative points.
- 1 Club with the most cumulative points will win the Right to Dream Cup Presented by Dexcom
- Win = 3 points, Draw = 1 point, yellow card = -1 point, red card = -2 points, no cards = +1 point
“We are so appreciative that these famous Liga MX Clubs have joined us,” Executive Vice President & Head of Right to Dream Academy Jeff Cook said in his welcome remarks Saturday morning. “You are now part of the Right to Dream global football family.”
“Throughout this tournament, we hope that together, we will celebrate our passion for football, our belief in the power of youth development, and our commitment to the values of integrity, teamwork, and diversity,” Cook said.
The goal of this tournament is to provide a platform for growth and for young players to experience an elite tournament atmosphere, providing tangible moments that mirror what the next level of the game looks like. This includes elite competition and sportsmanship moments between San Diego, Tijuana, and Monterrey, as well as media zones and additional touchpoints that mimic professional environments.
“I think it is a good thing to expand your world to everyone,” said Right to Dream San Diego student-athlete, Grant Choi. “I think someone who you meet now can really help you out in the future, and being friends with people from different environments and different cultures is something important that I think everyone should experience.”
“It’s just important to make your friendships and meet new people,” Right to Dream San Diego student-athlete Mason Jackson added.
Connection moments between the three regions will also be facilitated by a Player Experience Area designed to encourage continued competition and interactions off the pitch, aligning with the Right to Dream philosophy of developing the whole athlete.
“I really like how Right to Dream focuses on not just our football ability but also our academics and our character. They push us in many different ways,” said Right to Dream San Diego student-athlete, Kirby Potts.
SDFC and Right to Dream are operating the first fully funded, privately operated residential football academy and school in Major League Soccer. This is the first international youth tournament hosted by Right to Dream San Diego, and it represents SDFC and Right to Dream’s commitment to talent development and creating pathways for student-athletes to pursue their academic and athletic ambitions.
"I’m loving my experience so far,” said a Xolos youth player in Spanish when asked about his impressions of the tournament. “I’m impressed with the facilities, the pitch, and the level of play."
DAY 1 RESULTS
As it stands, here are the current age group leaders based off goals scored.
- CF Monterrey U-13
- San Diego U-14
- San Diego U-16
CF Monterrey currently leads the tournament with 13 points across all age groups. 9 matches will be played on Sunday, October 11th to determine the winner of the inaugural Right to Dream Cup presented by Dexcom.
