By Loyd McIntosh
If you’re suffering from soccer withdrawals since the World Cup ended a few weeks ago, you’re in luck. You have a chance to witness some top-notch youth soccer and possibly see tomorrow’s superstars before the rest of the world, during the Liberty Cup, August 28-30.
In its 25th year and hosted by the Vestavia Hills Soccer Club (VHSC), the Liberty Cup has grown into one of the longest-running and well-attended soccer tournaments in Alabama, attracting teams and players from all over the Southeast. The 2026 Liberty Cup will feature more than 200 boys and girls clubs from a wide array of age groups and skill levels and will provide teams and players the chance to test their skills against evenly matched squads from all over the region, says VHSC Executive Director Rocky Harmon.
“It’s a real smorgasbord, but what we like about it is it’s big enough to allow each team to find their own level,” says Harmon. “We can make multiple brackets: the really developed teams that have been together for a long time play each other, and our more developing teams that have just gotten together, maybe not quite as high a skill level, play each other too. It makes it very equitable. A lot of close scores, a lot of exciting games, because we can group people based on their abilities.”
With dozens of college coaches and recruiters in attendance, the Liberty Cup also provides players with valuable exposure and opportunities to play soccer in college and, possibly, professionally. In 2025 alone, Harmon says VHSC helped more than two dozen players obtain college scholarships, and for many players who have moved on to the next level, the Liberty Cup was where it all began.
“We have a robust college placement program, putting over 25 kids in colleges last year out of Vestavia Hills Soccer Club, and this is the first step for this year’s seniors,” says Harmon. He highlights VHSC alum JJ Williams, a former player with the Columbus Crew of Major League Soccer (MLS), now playing for the Rhode Island FC of the United Soccer League (USL).
Williams was a three-time state champion with VHSC and played collegiately at the University of Kentucky. Harmon says his Liberty Cup experience was significant part of his overall development. “JJ played from the age of 12 to 18 for Vestavia Hills Soccer Club and went on to play at Kentucky, and he probably played in seven Liberty Cups,” says Harmon.
The three-day tournament will take place at Liberty Park Athletic Complex and the Sicard Hollow Athletic Complex (SHAC), with some games scheduled for the Hoover Metropolitan Stadium. Harmon says a tournament of this scale and magnitude couldn’t exist without partnerships with the City of Vestavia Hills Parks and Recreation Director Jamie Lee and Vestavia Hills City Schools Athletics under the leadership of Athletics Director Laura Casey.
“We’re partners in everything we do,” says Harmon. “We don’t try to make a move without making sure both of them are in sync with what we’re doing, because we’re using the same kids and the same facilities, and we have the same parents driving to all these different venues. We’re lucky to have people like Jamie and Laura on our side.”
Harmon also highlights the work and dedication of Jason Woodall, the General Manager and Academy Director for VHSC. Woodall has been the Liberty Cup’s tournament director for 18 years and is a major factor in the tournament’s growth over the years.
“(Jason) is the tournament savant and a major reason our events are well attended. He does a great job of organizing the parking, the schedules, the matchups, the brackets, the medals,” says Harmon. “He is a key to our tournament success.”
Liberty Cup 2026
August 28-30
Boys and Girls U8-U19
Deadline to apply: August 5
3 Game Minimum
3 Referees for 9v9 and 11v11 games
U15-U19 teams play
Showcase format (no finals)
Great facilities, including Liberty Park,
SHAC, and Hoover Met!
Register at vestaviasoccer.com
