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Venue Spotlight Pres. by Marka: SAFC's Toyota Field, STAR Soccer Complex a Fitting Stage for Inaugural USL Academy Event

By CAMERON KOUBEK - cameron.koubek@uslsoccer.com, 09/13/19, 5:00PM EDT

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One of the top venues in the USL Championship, 8,000-seat venue has also hosted Liga MX, national teams


Photo courtesy Tim Laielli Photography

USL Academy Cup Venue Spotlight Presented by Marka

When members of USL academy teams take the pitch at Toyota Field and STAR Soccer Complex, they’ll be playing at a venue that has been consistently considered among the best in the USL Championship since San Antonio FC's arrival in the league for the 2016 season . 

The home venue for the Western Conference club and its professional-grade playing surfaces will showcase the best young talent in American soccer when the inaugural USL Academy event takes place there in October.

“The STAR Complex is a great place to host an event like USL Academy Cup,” said Director of Toyota Field and STAR Complex Dave Susi. “We have a lot of space with 65 acres and 13 premium fields for top quality soccer. The complex features walking and running paths for parents, two playgrounds and two restroom facilities. Each field is equipped with lights for night competition as well.”

When Susi began overseeing the grounds in February of 2016, it was almost exclusively used by the then newly-founded San Antonio FC for USL action. But that has changed in the last few years as the client base utilizing the facilities has expanded quickly.

“Currently the complex runs daily all year and has over 40 repeat clients throughout the local youth sports community, six tournaments a year, multiple soccer summer camps and multiple 5K races,” said Susi.

Even amidst that hectic schedule, Susi and San Antonio FC have found time to host high-profile squads from outside Texas. Most recently, the Argentinian national team used Toyota Field as their local training site before their recent international exhibition held at the Alamodome against Mexico. Players like Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez and Paris Saint-Germain’s Leandro Paredes were on the pitch at Toyota Field just before scoring in the match on September 10.

The stadium has also been the site of seven games between Liga MX sides, including a clash between Mexican club giants Pachuca and Chivas Guadalajara.

Having previously hosted the second edition of the USL Experience in 2017 – an annual event that brings together top young players across the Super Y League – it's hard to think of a better place to host the first USL Academy event given the amenities Toyota Field offers players.

“I fully believe Toyota Field is one of if not the best soccer-specific stadium in the USL,” said Susi. “The way the building was constructed allows for the fans to be right there as part of the action, which SAFC players feed off.”

The action at the Western Conference qualifying event for the USL Academy Cup will kick off on October 11. In addition to 18 matches around the fields at STAR Soccer Complex, three matches will take place at Toyota Field, including the event’s highly-anticipated opening clash between San Antonio FC and Orange County SC. The stadium will also host Austin Bold FC vs. Saint Louis FC and San Antonio FC vs. Phoenix Rising FC on the tournament’s final day.

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