International youth soccer arrives for Schwan's USA Cup
The 31st annual Schwan's USA Cup will bring thousands of soccer players and fans to Blaine, Minn., this week.
Opening ceremonies at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday will kick off the giant international soccer tournament, which includes teams for boys and girls.
The players hail from 16 different countries and 19 states, said Barclay Kruse, a spokesman for the National Sports Center, which hosts the tournament.
"[We have] a total of 1,153 teams which is the most we've ever had," Kruse said. "That works out to about 16,000 players."
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Many of the teams are staying at area hotels and school dormitories. Teams from Haiti, England, Japan, Mexico and Costa Rica are being hosted in homes around the region.
The National Sports Center will host as many as 25,000 players and fans each day.
Opening ceremonies tonight will feature a parade of teams, an Olympic-style torch carry, fireworks, skydivers and a concert.
"It's a big deal," Kruse said. "It's actually the thing people remember the most from their tournament experience."