West Friendship, MD (August 28, 2026) Elite Tournaments and the Development Player League (DPL) will continue their partnership through the 2026-2027 season, building on a relationship that began in 2021. The renewed agreement will extend through the DPL National Finals in June 2027, with an option to renew for an additional year. Through the continued partnership, Elite Tournaments will support the DPL in delivering high-quality events and experiences for its clubs, players, and families.

Since 2021, Elite Tournaments has supported 24 DPL events, including the DPL National Finals, DPL Summit, regional events, and showcases. Elite Tournaments has supported the DPL National Finals for six consecutive years, while the addition of regional events and expanded programming has continued to strengthen the organizations’ work together.

“As the DPL has continued to grow and evolve, we’ve had the opportunity to grow alongside them as an event partner,” said Andrew Dahir, Vice President of Soccer at Elite Tournaments. “The trust that has developed between our teams allows us to keep pushing forward, finding ways to improve operations and elevate the experience at each event. We’re proud of what we’ve built together and excited about where the partnership is headed.”

Throughout the partnership, Elite Tournaments has worked alongside the DPL to manage event planning and execution, including scheduling, logistics, staffing, and on-site operations. Together, the organizations work to create organized, competitive environments for DPL players and clubs.

“We are excited to continue our partnership with Elite Tournaments and build upon the work we have done together across the DPL event platform,” said Barry Ritson, President of the Development Player League. “As the DPL continues to grow, delivering professionally operated, consistent, and high-quality event experiences for our clubs, players, and families remains incredibly important. Elite has been a trusted partner in helping us execute that vision, and we look forward to continuing to evolve our events together and create an even stronger experience for our membership.”

2026-2027 DPL Event Schedule

Elite Tournaments will support the following Development Player League events during the 2026-2027 season:

DPL Western Regional (U13-U14) | October 1 – 4, 2026 | Provo, UT

DPL Western Regional (U15-U19) | November 19 – 22, 2026 | Mesa, AZ

DPL Eastern Regional (U15-U19) | January 7 – 11, 2027 | Tampa, FL

DPL Summit | February 25 – 28, 2027 | Tucson, AZ

DPL Eastern Regional (U13-U14) | April 22 – 25, 2027 | Richmond, VA

DPL National Finals | June 2027 | Location TBD

As the DPL looks ahead to the 2026-2027 season, Elite Tournaments will continue to support the league in delivering purposeful, competitive event experiences that create opportunities for female athletes across the country.

About Elite Tournaments

Elite Tournaments is a premier youth sports event management company with more than 26 years of experience delivering high-quality tournament experiences for athletes, coaches, clubs, and families nationwide. Since its founding, Elite Tournaments has managed more than 1,100 youth soccer events and expanded its event footprint across more than 30 states, supporting competitive opportunities for teams at every level.

With a proven track record that includes thousands of teams and more than one million athletes served, Elite Tournaments is known for its organization, communication, and attention to detail and remains committed to creating professionally managed events that provide meaningful competition, memorable experiences, and lasting value for athletes, families, clubs, and partner organizations. Learn more at elitetournaments.com.

About The Development Player League (DPL)

The Development Player League is a national platform comprising more than 130 member clubs and over 14,000 athletes. The DPL is committed to creating meaningful developmental and competitive opportunities for female soccer players through league competition, national events, showcase experiences, and player-development initiatives. Learn more at thedpl.com

The DPL provides an environment designed to support athletes, coaches, clubs, and families while continuing to advance the standards and opportunities available within the female game.