The 7 Elite Academy International Tournament delivered a spectacular showcase of youth soccer as over 360 teams battled for glory in Southern Utah and Nevada.

The event, which has been dubbed “The Youth Soccer Event of the Year”, lived up to that billing during a mammoth 540 games at venues in Saint George, Washington and Mesquite.

Visitors to the tournament also delivered a timely boost to the economies in those three cities, as thousands of coaches, players and their families packed out local hotels and restaurants.

Top-flight youth players from across the United States and United Kingdom were in attendance, while an international panel of officials took charge of matches.

Scouts from around the world were in attendance, such as Germany and the UK, including some from the prestigious Steven Gerrard Academy in Liverpool.

Nick Nield, Tournament Director, said: “This has been a fantastic three days of youth soccer here in Utah. We couldn’t have asked for a better standard of play or atmosphere.

“The great thing about this tournament is it gives players from all over the place – the US west coast, the mountain west, and as far afield as the U.K., an opportunity to combine great soccer with a visit to the cities of Saint George, Washington, and Mesquite, some of the most beautiful areas in the country.

“Restaurants, shops, movie theatres and hotels all benefitted from the extra people who came to our tournament, and I am so happy about that. We believe that economic boost was well over a million dollars.

“We wanted to stage a tournament that would live long in the memories of everyone who was here and we certainly did that. I can’t thank our team of staff and volunteers enough.”