PHOENIX –  After a two-year hiatus due to the coronavirus pandemic, Food City’s annual soccer tournament, Copa Food City, returns to the Phoenix Events Complex.

(2209 N. 99th Ave., Phoenix) this Saturday, Nov. 5 and Sunday, Nov. 6.

“For some of these kids, this is the first soccer tournament that they have ever played,” said Mike Solis, Director of Operations of Food City. “When Food City started this tournament 20 years ago, there were only 56 soccer teams competing on eight soccer fields. This year, here are more than 140 teams traveling to this tournament from all parts of Arizona, and from neighboring states. They will play together on 20 soccer fields.”

Thousands of soccer fans are expected in west Phoenix this weekend for the tournament, which is celebrating its 20^th year. The spectators will assemble outdoors to watch hundreds of soccer players, from youth to adults, compete in age-grouped tournaments. In addition to the high-energy soccer games, Food City will bring live, family-friendly entertainment from local and nationally recognized musicians, including headliners Tropicalisimo Apache and La Internacional Sonora Dinamita. A vendor village area will also be available for families to enjoy interactive booths, games, food sampling, and giveaways. 

Additional activities at the soccer tournament include: renowned radio personality El Piolín Sotelo, local TV sports anchors, and legendary soccer player Marco Fabián will kick off the opening ceremonies at 11:15 a.m. on Nov. 5, after which Fabian will sign autographs until 2 p.m. that day; and Food City will present awards to the winning soccer teams in each age division starting at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 6.

To celebrate 20 years of the Copa Food City soccer tournament, from this Saturday, Nov. 5 through Thanksgiving (Nov. 24, 2022), Food City will surprise shoppers by randomly giving away prizes on the spot in its stores. The prizes will include BBQ grills, coolers, camp chairs, and Food City gift cards.

In addition, Food City shoppers who spend a minimum of $20 in one transaction between Nov. 5-24, 2022, have a chance to win $20,000 in cash from Food City. Those who make a qualifying purchase during this timeframe will receive a register printout with a unique sweepstakes code. They can submit their unique sweepstakes code entry by either scanning the QR code on the register printout or by visiting FoodCitySweepstakes.com.

There is no limit to the number of sweepstakes code entries that an individual can submit. Food City will randomly select six finalists and invite them to appear at a designated Food City grocery store on Nov. 26, when it will conduct a cash drawing for the six finalists. Five runners-up will each receive $1,000 in cash, and one grand-prize winner will receive $20,000 in cash.

As part of planning and hosting its annual Copa Food City soccer tournament, the grocery store chain has distributed more than 35,000 soccer uniforms, donated more than 35,000 soccer balls, and awarded more than 10,000 medals and 500 trophies to the top-performing soccer players and teams.