Top Football Academies. Big Expectations. A Professional-Grade Tournament Experience.
The Rising Stars Cup is one of the most exciting new elite boys’ soccer tournaments in the United States. Hosted just outside Washington, D.C., in Upper Marlboro, MD, the tournament brought together U8 to U12 academy teams from some of the world’s top clubs.
This year’s lineup featured premier programs including the Philadelphia Union, Chicago Fire, NY Red Bulls, RB Leipzig, and Atlanta Xpress (ATL United), among many others. The tournament is showcasing a level of international competition rarely seen at this age group.
To support the influx of traveling teams and families, Fastbreak Travel secured over 500 room nights across trusted hotel brands such as Hilton, Hyatt Place, Courtyard by Marriott, and Residence Inn, all conveniently located near the playing fields.
From top-tier soccer to seamless logistics, the Rising Stars Cup delivered a first-class experience on and off the pitch.
Despite the high-caliber teams, this was the Rising Stars Cup’s first time hosting a tournament at this level. The organizers needed to deliver a world-class experience that matched the expectations of elite clubs and international attendees. They partnered with Fastbreak to do exactly that.
The Challenge: Launching a Global Soccer Tournament from Scratch
Planning and executing an international soccer tournament for the first time is no small feat. Rising Stars Cup needed to manage team registrations, build a multi-day schedule, publish live scores and brackets, track payments, and ensure all visiting teams had accommodation sorted, with many flying in from overseas.
The expectations were high. The margin for error was low. Rising Stars Cup needed a partner who could handle the complexity and deliver a seamless experience for clubs, families, and staff.
The Tech Behind the Tournament
Elite events demand elite operations, and Fastbreak AI delivers exactly that. As an end-to-end sports operations platform, Fastbreak gives tournament organizers the tools to manage every aspect of their event from one place: planning, registration, scheduling, analytics, communication, payments, and more.
“We needed a partner that could help us deliver a professional, world-class experience from day one. Fastbreak gave us a single platform to manage everything, including registration, scheduling, communication, and hotels. It made our lives easier and made the event feel bigger. We’re setting a new standard with Rising Stars.”
- Aarin Foye, Founder of the Rising Stars Cup
At the heart of the Rising Stars Cup experience was Fastbreak Compete, which served as the operational hub. Organizers used it to track registrations, build and publish balanced match schedules, update scores and standings in real time, and communicate directly with teams through a built-in CRM. With one system for everything, they eliminated spreadsheets, back-and-forth emails, and manual tracking, ultimately freeing up time to focus on quality.
For lodging logistics, Fastbreak Travel made room block management predictable and efficient. Organizers secured over 500 room nights across trusted hotel brands in the Washington, D.C. area, with real-time tracking of bookings and usage. Teams received clear booking links, flexible payment options, and support navigating the stay-to-play process—ensuring rooms were reserved, used, and accounted for without last-minute scrambles.
The Result: Big Wins On and Off the Field
The feedback from clubs and families was immediate: this didn’t feel like a first-time tournament. It felt like a polished, established event.
- Teams praised the seamless registration process and timely schedule updates.
- Families booked accommodations easily and appreciated the digital access to event info.
- Sponsors saw value in field-level brand presence and sideline engagement.
“The feedback from teams was incredible. They loved how smooth registration and scheduling were, especially the international clubs. Fastbreak helped us create something special, and this is just the beginning. We’re already planning how to scale it next year.” - Aarin Foye, Founder of Rising Stars Cup
The Rising Stars Cup now stands out not just for the level of play, but for the experience. Thanks to Fastbreak, the tournament ran smoothly from registration to the final whistle.
Want to Deliver a World Class Soccer Tournament Like the Rising Stars Cup?
Whether you’re running your first elite event or scaling an existing tournament program, Fastbreak makes it easy to operate with confidence. Talk to us about:
- Fastbreak Compete for schedule, scores, and registration
- Fastbreak Travel for easy, trackable hotel bookings
- Easy Event Tickets for effortless access into tournaments
Reach out at fastbreak.ai or schedule a demo to get started.
