Soccer tournaments generate more awards per weekend than almost any other youth sport. Six age brackets, first through third in each, all-tournament teams, MVPs, sportsmanship, and a participation medal for every player on every roster. The order can run into the hundreds before the first whistle. This guide covers the award formats that work for soccer tournaments, how to tier them by bracket, what to engrave, how to handle winners that are not known until Sunday afternoon, and where to order.
Award formats for soccer tournaments
Placement trophies
First, second, and third in each bracket typically get a team trophy. Metal cups are the standard: the 10″ gold completed metal cup for first, a silver cup for second, and a smaller or bronze-toned cup for third. Soccer-specific sculpted awards like the 10 1/2″ soccer cobra award, the 12″ soccer cobra award, and the 10″ soccer champion award give the placement tier a sport-specific look. The metal cup trophies buyer’s guide covers tiering within a cup family.
Medals
Every player on a placing team gets a medal, and most tournaments give a participation medal to every player in the event. The soccer shooting star series covers this in three finishes and two sizes: the 1 3/4″ antique gold, antique silver, and antique bronze medals for participation and placement, and the 2 1/2″ antique gold soccer medal for champions. Resin pieces like the 5 1/2″ soccer ribbon resin and the soccer triad resin are an alternative for participation at a similar price.
MVP and individual awards
Tournament MVP, golden boot, best goalkeeper, and sportsmanship awards warrant a piece that stands apart from the team trophies. The 12″ glass soccer ball with marble base and the 11 1/4″ crystal soccer ball on a clear base are the premium options; the 6 1/4″ glass soccer ball is a smaller version for per-bracket MVPs. The full range is in the soccer awards and trophies category.
Tiering by bracket
A typical youth tournament with six brackets runs like this. First place: 6 team trophies, 10 to 12 inch gold cups, plus gold medals for every player. Second: 6 team trophies, 10 inch silver cups, plus silver medals. Third: 6 smaller cups or bronze-toned awards, plus bronze medals. MVP per bracket: 6 glass or crystal soccer balls. Sportsmanship per bracket: 6 medals or small awards. Participation: a medal for every registered player.
Use the same cup family across all brackets so the awards read as a set on the table. The trophy size guide covers heights by tier, and the bulk trophies guide has a worked example of a tournament order.
What to engrave
Tournament name, bracket, placement, and year on the trophy base plate. “Fall Classic 2026, U12 Boys, Champions.” Team names are usually added after the final; see below. Medals engrave on the back with the tournament and year, and optionally the bracket. Participation medals carry the tournament and year only, so one engraving run covers the whole batch. The trophy engraving guide covers plate sizes and layout.
Engraving team names after the final
Tournaments know the brackets and placements in advance but not the winning teams. The cleanest approach is to engrave the bracket and placement before the event and leave the team name off, or to have the supplier engrave a second small plate with the team name the Monday after and attach it. A shop that engraves in-house can turn those plates around same-day; see the same-day and rush engraving guide.
Where to order soccer tournament awards
1. Viking Awards
Viking Awards has supplied soccer leagues and tournaments since 1973 from its Westchester, Illinois shop, with cups, sculpted awards, glass and crystal pieces, and the full soccer medal series engraved in-house. Tournament orders get a spreadsheet template, volume pricing across the whole order, a master proof per tier, and cartons labeled by bracket for distribution at the field. Chicago-area clubs can pick up in Westchester. Browse the soccer awards category or call (630) 833-1733.
2. Crown Awards
Crown Awards carries a large soccer trophy and medal catalog with fast shipping on stock items and volume pricing, suited to large tournament orders placed online. Website: crownawards.com. Phone: 1-800-227-1557.
3. Hodges Badge Company
Hodges specializes in competition medals and ribbons at volume and is a strong option for tournaments that want custom die-cast medals or ribbon-heavy award structures. Website: hodgesbadge.com. Phone: 1-800-556-2440.
4. Trophy Depot
Trophy Depot serves the budget end with a broad soccer catalog and fast shipping, suited to recreational tournaments where per-piece cost is the main constraint. Website: trophydepot.com.
Disclaimer: The companies listed above reflect editorial opinion only and are not ranked in any particular order of preference or quality beyond the first position. This list is independent and should not be taken as an official endorsement or paid ranking. Contact details are accurate at the time of publication but are subject to change.
Timeline
Cups and medals with standard engraving take two to five business days plus shipping; a full tournament order takes longer to engrave and pack. Order four weeks out for a standard tournament, six for a large one. Glass and crystal MVP pieces take longer than cups; order those first. The custom award turnaround guide has timelines by product.
Common mistakes
Ordering medals without ribbons specified. Stock ribbons are immediate; custom-printed ribbons take an extra week or two.
Mixing trophy styles across brackets. The U8 champions and the U14 champions should receive the same style at the same size.
Shipping to the field. Ship to a coordinator who will receive and inspect, then bring the cartons.
No spare medals. Order a few extra participation medals for the player added on Friday night.
Forgetting the coaches. A small plaque or medal for each head coach is inexpensive and appreciated.
Custom neck ribbons
Medals hang on neck ribbons, and the ribbon is the first thing a player sees. Stock ribbons in club or tournament colors are immediate and inexpensive. Custom-printed ribbons with the tournament name and logo take an extra one to two weeks and add cost, but they turn a stock medal into a tournament-branded piece and are worth it for annual events. Order ribbons with the medals, not after; the ribbon is often the constraint on the timeline.
Coaches, referees, and volunteers
Tournaments that recognize the adults who ran them get the adults back next year. A small plaque for each head coach engraved with the team and the tournament, a medal or certificate for referees, and a plaque for the tournament director and volunteer coordinators. The walnut plaque with black brass plate is the standard coach’s plaque and can be ordered alongside the team trophies. See the volunteer recognition awards guide for the volunteer side.
Perpetual tournament trophies
Annual tournaments benefit from a perpetual trophy for each bracket’s champion, or a single overall trophy, that stays with the tournament and gets a plate each year. It gives the event history, it gives returning teams something to chase, and it photographs well at the awards table. A cup on a tiered base is the standard; see the perpetual trophies vs perpetual plaques guide.
Distribution at the field
Awards are handed out at the field minutes after the final, often in the rain. Cartons labeled by bracket with a packing list mean the tournament director hands a box to each bracket coordinator without opening it. Keep the MVP and individual awards separate from the team trophies. Keep a few spare medals in the director’s tent. Photograph each team with its trophy from the same spot.
Frequently asked questions
Medals or trophies for participation? Medals. Trophies for placement.
What size cup for a U10 champion versus a U16 champion? Same size, same style. The bracket goes on the plate, not the trophy height.
Can team names be engraved after the final? Yes. Engrave bracket and placement in advance and add a name plate afterward, or leave the team name off.
How many spare medals should I order? Two to three per bracket.
What is the timeline for a 300-medal order? Four to six weeks with stock ribbons; add one to two weeks for custom ribbons. See the bulk trophies guide.
Budgeting a tournament order
Medals are the volume line; trophies are the presentation line. A tournament that spends most of its award budget on participation medals and keeps placement cups modest looks balanced. One that buys large cups and skimps on medals leaves most players with nothing. Quote the full order together so volume pricing applies across both. The engraving cost guide explains how medal engraving is priced at quantity.
Ordering
Viking Awards handles soccer tournament orders from a single MVP award to a full multi-bracket slate, with in-house engraving and a proof on every order. Browse the soccer awards category, read the how to order custom trophies guide, or call (630) 833-1733 with the bracket structure and the tournament date.