Calgary’s Winter Classic soccer tournament kicks off with a new place to play

Calgary's premier indoor soccer competition kicked off in style Thursday night.

The Winter Classic Tournament, hosted by the Calgary Minor Soccer Association, brings together more than 750 soccer players between nine and 16 years old.

More than 140 games will be played starting on Thursday before medals and trophies are passed out Sunday.

And this year, there will be some extra space to make it all happen.

The Shouldice Seasonal Dome officially opened up to the public at the end of October. The air-supported structure sits over the existing Encana artificial turf in the city's northeast and will be utilized by the annual event for the first time in 2022.

"It provides them with a lot more gameplay each week and gives them another place to practice that's not a gym or a community center," organizer Sonja Larison told CTV News.

"(Additionally) it gets them on some artificial turf and allows them to learn and feel the sport and the impact it has."

The board-less pitch offers different field sizes for all ages and will accommodate an influx of new soccer players.

"I just like to see everyone coming out and participating in a well-loved sport," Larison said. "After watching the World Cup, it's growing and the impact of it has helped our city."

The Calgary West Soccer Centre will also host games.