For the first time since its creation, the local soccer tournament will be hosted in collaboration with the Concordia Student Union (CSU).
This year’s back-to-school activities will include a new opportunity for soccer fans at Concordia, as the CSU has teamed up with All-Star Xperience to organize a soccer tournament with cash prizes.
All-Star Xperience was created in October 2023. The tournament’s format mirrors professional tournaments, from knockout stages to the prestigious Golden Boot award for top scorer.
After six successful tournaments, the founders, Talal Selman and Jad Harb, are gearing up for the seventh edition. This time, they are teaming up with the Concordia Student Union (CSU) to bring the event to a broader audience.
Selman and Harb, former rivals turned teammates, share a common goal: creating accessible and competitive soccer events for the community.
“We’ve always been soccer players,” Selman said. “When we left Lebanon at 18 [years old] to study in Canada, we had trouble fitting into the local soccer community and faced many challenges.”
Soccer is more than just a game for the pair. They first met as competitors in the Lebanese Premier League youth academies but later represented their country together on the U-20 national team. After moving to Canada to study engineering at Concordia University, they reconnected and decided to launch their soccer venture.
“We struggled to find a place in the soccer scene when we came to Canada,” Harb recalled. “So, we thought, why not create our own tournaments?”
These tournaments, they argue, fill a crucial gap in community soccer, especially for newcomers. As pioneers of cash-prize soccer events in Montreal, Selman and Harb believe in giving back to the community. Their experiences playing in other local tournaments left them feeling that many lacked a sense of fulfillment for the participants. By offering awards, medals, and a cash prize, they aim to provide a more gratifying experience.
“You pay the registration fee, and the winning team takes home the cash prize,” Harb explained.
The early growth of All-Star Xperience was fueled by social media and word of mouth. Although the first tournament in October 2023 only had a handful of teams, the event has grown considerably. In fact, its rising popularity caught the attention of the CSU, who approached Selman and Harb to organize their seventh tournament. It will be filled with a diverse selection of activities such as pop up booths, local vendors and DJs.
“We want the players to have the best possible experience,” said Selman, reflecting on the challenges they faced in the beginning.
Finding a suitable field during the harsh Montreal winters forced them to adjust their format, playing five players against five instead of the preferred seven versus seven for their first event. However, their determination and adaptability helped them establish a solid presence in the city’s soccer scene. They plan to one day expand their resume and launch a seven versus seven amateur soccer league for Montreal’s soccer enthusiasts.
The second day the seventh tournament is scheduled for Sept. 14 at the Concordia Stingers soccer field, starting at 4 p.m.
