English National League club Marine AFC will send a team of Under-17 Boys from Liverpool to the 7 Elite Academy International Tournament in February next year.
The event, now regarded as the biggest international youth soccer tournament in the region, is on course to break all records for attendance.
Over 500 teams from across the world will travel to Southern Utah and Nevada for the tournament, which takes place on February 4-7, 2027.
Marine AFC play at Step Two of the English soccer pyramid and famously hosted Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup just a few years ago.
The club’s Under-18s won their bracket at the 7 Elite Academy International Tournament in 2026 and will be returning to add a further title.
Anthony Godfrey, 7 Elite Academy Technical Director, said: “It is exciting that we are bringing another overseas team to our tournament, helping to creating a new level of competition.
“The presence of international teams always brings a higher intensity to games and makes sure every player needs to be at their peak to compete.
“Marine’s Under-18s made a big impression in every game at the 2026 tournament and with more new players signing for them since then, they’ll be determined to retain their championship.
“They will be joining a team from South Africa next February, with many other overseas clubs now adding their applications. It’s looking set for another exciting event.”
The 2027 7 Elite Academy International Tournament will host teams from Pre Academy through to Under-19s, with some finals taking place at Greater Zion Stadium in St George.
It is attracting interest from high-profile clubs across the United States, UK and Europe with more due to be announced in coming weeks.
Ryan Skeete, Head Coach of Marine AFC Under-17s added: “This is a hugely talented squad, with many players having moved up from the 7 Elite Academy Under-16s recently.
“Many youngsters from this group have signed for professional academies across the North-West and are now playing at a very level. That progress is a huge incentive for any player.
“We’ll be touring one of the biggest universities in Southern Utah, which in itself is a great opportunity to secure the next step on the college scholarship application process.
“Some of the players will be retuning from last year’s squad and everyone is determined to retain the tournament title they worked so hard for in 2026.”