Big Wave Classic
Overview
The Big Wave Classic is a youth soccer tournament held at the Foley Sports Tourism Complex in Foley, Alabama, with surrounding area fields. The 2026 edition runs May 9–10 (Snap Soccer lists the event as May 8–10 on some pages). The tournament draws competitive travel teams from across Alabama, the Gulf Coast, and neighboring Southeast states. Foley, situated near Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, provides a beach-adjacent destination environment that enhances the event’s appeal for traveling families.
Ownership & Operations
Operated in partnership with Snap Soccer, the regional tournament management platform active across the Florida Panhandle and Gulf Coast. The event is associated with the Coastal Rush / Emerald Coast Rush organizational family, which runs multiple Snap Soccer-managed tournaments in the Gulf region including the trident-cup in Panama City Beach. Tournament registration and scheduling flows through the Snap Soccer platform.
Economics
Entry fees typical of Gulf Coast regional events ($650–$900 per team). The Foley Sports Tourism Complex is a purpose-built municipal sports facility developed specifically to host youth travel tournaments, with destination-tourism economics baked into the venue model — hotel and hospitality revenues generated by visiting teams are a primary driver. Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Sports Commission actively promotes the event.
Sanctioning
US Club Soccer sanctioned per the US Club Soccer sanctioned tournament list (2026).
Reputation & Tier
Regional Tier 4–5 destination event. The Foley Sports Tourism Complex is among the larger purpose-built youth sports venues in the Southeast, and events there benefit from strong municipal sports tourism infrastructure. The beach-destination setting is a competitive differentiator versus landlocked Alabama/Gulf Coast alternatives.
Notes
Foley Sports Tourism is one of the Gulf Coast’s most active youth sports hosting markets. The Big Wave Classic operates within the same Snap Soccer / Coastal Rush event network as the trident-cup, reflecting a multi-market tournament portfolio strategy for the host organization along the Gulf Coast corridor.