MLS Futbolito Soccer Tournament & Festival Returns.
May 23, 2004
After a successful inaugural year, MLS Futbolito, the official 4v4 Soccer Tournament of Major League Soccer, is back and has added two cities (San Antonio and Miami) to last year’s ten-city tour. The first tournament stop is in San Jose on Saturday, June 12 and concludes Saturday, September 25 in Los Angeles.
This year’s participating cities and dates are:
San Jose
Saturday, June 12
Houston
Saturday, June 26
San Antonio
Sunday, July 4
Dallas
Sunday, July 11
Kansas City
Sunday, July 18
Chicago
Saturday, July 31
New York
Saturday, August 14
Washington, D.C.
Saturday, August 21
Columbus
Saturday, August 28
Miami
Saturday, September 11
Denver
Saturday, September 18
Los Angeles
Saturday, September 25
The 4-v-4 tournament is played on scaled down fields of approximately 20×30 yards and is open to players of all ages, abilities and affiliations. Team rosters can consist of up to seven players (four field players and three substitutes) and each team will play a minimum of three games in round-robin action, with the possibility of advancing to the single-elimination championship playoff.
Last year over 4,000 players participated in Futbolito and another 20,000 spectators enjoyed this much-anticipated tournament and even attracted participants from Mexico and Guatemala. The 2003 tournament garnered an 88% customer approval rating and was highlighted by 150-team sell-out in Los Angeles, an estimated 7,500 spectators in New York and player appearances by Mexican National Team and MLS star Luis Hernandez in Houston.
In 2003 MLS launched Futbolito as a national, grassroots soccer festival event series offering Hispanic families a unique way to celebrate their passion for soccer and community. This is the first event of its kind produced by a professional sports league targeting the Hispanic community. Returning as the official spokesperson for 2004 MLS Futbolito is former MLS All-Star and International star of the Colombian National Team, Carlos “El Pibe” Valderrama. Plus, a special appearance in Houston and Columbus by former LA Galaxy star and El Salvadoran midfielder Mauricio Cienfuegos.
