AFC Toronto concluded their participation in the World Sevens Football seven-a-side tournament with a victory over the Kansas City Current, securing a 3-2 win in Davie, Florida on Saturday. Despite this positive outcome, two earlier defeats eliminated the Northern Super League team from contention for the tournament’s semifinals among the eight competing teams vying for the $5 million prize pool.
This is the first North American installment of the seven-a-side tournament, with the Bayern Munich women emerging as the inaugural champions by defeating Manchester United 2-1 in Estoril, Portugal back in May. The winners received $2.5 million, with $1 million allocated for the players.
The matches in the tournament feature 30-minute durations on a smaller field than standard, with no offside rules. Teams are allowed to field 16 players per game with unrestricted substitutions during play. In the recent game against the NWSL’s Current, young forward Kaylee Hunter scored two goals and assisted Esther Okoronkwo’s winning goal by showcasing skillful play to outmaneuver defenders and deliver a crucial pass for the Nigerian international to score.
Toronto’s earlier matches were closely contested, with the team holding leads against Tigres Femenil and Flamengo before falling short in both instances. Notably, the match against Flamengo went into a penalty shootout after a late equalizer by the Brazilian side.
The tournament also features teams such as the NWSL’s San Diego Wave, Uruguay’s Nacional, Colombia’s Deportivo Cali, and Mexico’s Club America. AFC Toronto earned their invitation to the event after finishing atop the NSL regular season standings with a record of 16-6-3, culminating in a loss to Vancouver Rise in the NSL championship game on November 15.
Beyond the competitive matches, the tournament exudes a festive atmosphere with music playing throughout games, and teams engaging in elaborate player introductions and unique goal celebrations. The venue for the event is Beyond Bancard Field at Nova Southeastern University in Davie, a stadium that now serves as the home ground for Fort Lauderdale United FC.
The World Sevens Football tournament has gained prominence alongside other soccer events, such as the MLS Cup final, which took place nearby at Chase Stadium where the Vancouver Whitecaps and Inter Miami faced off in a thrilling matchup.