15 Current and Recent Strykers to Battle for $1 Million at TST

Marco Fabián headlines Empire contingent participating in elite 7v7 tournament

Ontario, Calif. — This week, 14 players with strong ties to the Major Arena Soccer League’s (MASL) Empire Strykers — as well as club official Onua Obasi — will kick off their involvement in the highly anticipated fourth edition of The Soccer Tournament (TST). A prestigious 7v7 event set to take place from May 27 to June 1 in Cary, North Carolina, TST features globally recognized stars as well as over 120 players and coaches with backgrounds in the MASL.

TST matches will air on NBC, NBC Sports Network, Peacock and YouTube, and Strykers play-by-play voice Christian “Filly” Filimon is set to call 26 of them. This year, a co-ed competition has been added to the men’s and women’s tournaments, with a $1 million prize pot on the line for each of the three. Among the most recognizable names to take the field in the coming days are Sergio Agüero, Landon Donovan, Nani, Marco Fabián, Sebastian Giovinco, Hope Solo and Miguel Layún.

The Empire contingent is spread out across eleven squads and includes 2025-26 standouts Justin Stinson and Robert Palmer as well as Mexican icon Fabián, who will represent the Boca Dallas men, which also includes fellow midfielder Cyro Oliveira as a member of its coaching staff.

Marco Fabián is not only a 2010 Olympic gold medalist and a Chivas de Guadalajara legend but also a two-time FIFA World Cup veteran with El Tri, a former German domestic cup winner with Eintracht Frankfurt, and a 2023–24 MASL co-Golden Boot winner.

All six of the then-Strykers who last year won the million dollars with Bumpy Pitch FC’s men are returning to the team. The four who are still with Empire are goalkeeper Brandon Gomez, defender-midfielder Alan Perez, midfielder-defender Andy Reyes, and forward Mounir Alami. Additionally, the 2026 BPFC roster features Strykers legend Justin Stinson in the midfield and his MASL teammate Barbaro Shelier at forward.

Stinson, who appeared in every single fixture for Empire in 2025-26, led the team in points (27) and jointly with Alami in goals (15 each), while also placing second in assists (12) and in points per game (1.13 in 24 games).

On February 22, in a 10-2 home win over the Tacoma Stars, the Missouri native made history in front of 6,223 at Toyota Arena, as he not only collected a staggering two netters and four assists but also tied the record for most career regular season points collected by a single player in franchise history (185). 13 days later, he set a new record by scoring the dramatic winner in a 5-4 overtime win at St. Louis.

Robert Palmer will be an Assistant Coach at TST with the Reggae Rovers FC men — just over five weeks removed from being named to the 2025-26 MASL Second Team alongside Stinson.

In addition to topping the Strykers in assists (14), two-time MASL Defensive Player of the Year Palmer served as his side’s undisputed leader on defense, placing third league-wide in blocks (45). The Empire captain also acted as Interim Head Coach for his club’s final three games of the regular season, leading the Strykers to three straight victories and back above the playoff line. He has since been appointed Head Coach for 2026-27 and will continue to fill dual roles.

On the women’s side, Austin Rise FC will be coached by Onua Obasi, who won 2024–25 MASL Coach of the Year honors after guiding Empire to its first playoff berth since 2021. The Englishman heads into his fourth TST, having won the inaugural edition in 2023 with the Newtown Pride FC men and having led the team to the semifinals in 2024 and the quarterfinals in 2025. Ever since Robert Palmer took over as the Strykers’ player-coach just over two months ago, Obasi has served in a front office role for the club.

While Empire forward Walter Díaz Gonzalez will be Sneaky FC teammates with U.S. legend Landon Donovan on the co-ed side, the remaining Strykers competing in TST 2026 are goalkeeper Brian Orozco (Soccer Central men), midfielder Dayerson Graterol (Legio FC co-ed), and defenders Filipe Dutra (RG10 Football men) and Ben Suddeth (Club América men).

With the new MASL soccer campaign kicking off in late 2026, anyone looking to buy Empire Strykers single-game or season tickets should keep an eye out for the official schedule release in the fall. Empire Strykers fan gear is available year-round via our online shop.

The Strykers are the premier indoor soccer team in the Inland Empire and one of two top-tier pro indoor soccer teams in California. As a founding member of the MASL, the Empire organization prides itself on fielding one of the best small-sided teams in the world.

If you’re IE-based and looking to compete, you may have found yourself wondering, “Where can I find an indoor soccer league near me?” If so, feel free to reach out. We’re well connected in the area and might just be able to help. High-level players may even stand a chance at joining our reserve team, the Empire Jets, and entering the pathway to our senior squad.