Inaugural Independent Club Cup held at Perricone Park for the venue’s first-ever tournament
SOMERTON, Ariz. (KYMA) - Somerton officially welcomed Perricone Park this weekend with its grand re-opening Friday night, followed by the revitalized park’s first major sporting event on Saturday as nearly three dozen youth soccer teams took the field for an inaugural tournament.
The 2026 Independent Club Cup brought teams from across the Desert Southwest to Somerton, marking a major milestone for the city's growing soccer community.
Over the course of the weekend, the tournament featured more than 70 matches, giving young athletes a new stage to compete.
"It's an all-weekend thing and over 73 games total over the weekend," said Miguel Renteria, coach and club director of Sun City Strikers FC.
The opening of Perricone Park has created new opportunities for independent clubs that may not always have access to large-scale tournaments or quality facilities.
The venue is designed to highlight developing talent while giving clubs a centralized location to compete.
"This is giving a lot of independent club teams [an opportunity] to be able to shine on a platform that's meant for them," Renteria said.
Beyond the weekend tournament, city officials believe the park will play a key role in keeping local youth engaged in sports, particularly soccer, which has deep roots in the area.
Somerton Parks and Recreation Director James Jones said having a premier facility within city limits removes barriers for families and teams.
"Keeping kids engaged is the biggest thing, so now that they can come to Somerton, and they don't have to go to Yuma, or they don't have to go to San Luis to have these tournaments, cause now we have our own place that we can have it...we're like center of Yuma County," Jones said.
Renteria echoed that sentiment, emphasizing the significance of the park not just as a facility, but as a symbol of Somerton's soccer culture.
"This park, specifically, and also just the city, in general, the City of Somerton, is what I say is the heart of the soccer community," he said.
City leaders say the Independent Club Cup is only the beginning. Plans are already in motion to expand the park's use beyond youth events, with interest growing from adult leagues and tournament organizers.
They also plan on adding permanent seating to the park that is ADA accessible.
"Our goal is that we're not gonna just have kids tournaments here, but we're gonna start having the adult tournaments here," Jones said. "We've had probably four or five different groups reach out to us to try to rent this space for their tournaments, and their leagues here."
As Somerton continues to grow, Perricone Park is quickly establishing itself as a central hub for athletics in the city, signaling a new chapter for sports and community engagement in the region.
