Pacific Rim Cup 2026 Keiki Soccer Clinic Sells Out, Bringing Global Soccer Experience to Hawaiʻi

HONOLULU, Hawaiʻi, August 22, 2026.

The Pacific Rim Cup: Keiki Soccer Clinic 2026 Powered by MIXI, Inc. concluded another successful year on Friday, August 21, at the Waipio Peninsula Soccer Complex, bringing together Hawaiʻi’s young soccer community for a sold-out clinic led by professional players with experience across Japan, Europe, Major League Soccer, and the United States.

The annual clinic gave young players in Hawaiʻi a rare opportunity to train directly with current and former professionals, learn from their experiences, ask questions, and connect with role models who have competed at some of the sport’s highest levels worldwide.

This year’s group of Special Coaches brought together an exceptional combination of international experience and strong ties to Hawaiʻi:

Takuya Yamada. A former Japan National Team player and longtime figure in Japanese professional soccer. Yamada enjoyed a 20-year professional career across Japan and the United States, representing clubs including Verdy Kawasaki/Tokyo Verdy, Cerezo Osaka, Yokohama FC, Sagan Tosu, and the Tampa Bay Rowdies. He once again led the Pacific Rim Cup clinic.

Yuya Kubo. A Japanese professional and former Japan National Team player, his career has taken him from Japan to Europe and Major League Soccer (FC Cincinnati). His international playing experience gave Hawaiʻi’s young athletes the opportunity to learn directly from a player who has competed in several of the world’s soccer markets.

Shandon Hopeau. Hawaiʻi-born former professional player and Seattle Sounders FC Homegrown player. From growing up and playing soccer in Hawaiʻi to reaching Major League Soccer, Hopeau provided participants with a powerful example of the pathway available to local players who aspire to compete professionally.

Kenji Treschuk. Hawaiʻi soccer standout and former professional player whose career included experience in the Netherlands and with professional clubs in the United States, including the Seattle Sounders. A longtime supporter of the Pacific Rim Cup, Treschuk continues to use his experience to mentor and inspire the next generation of Hawaiʻi players.

The clinic also featured Brock Puckett, a rising Hawaiʻi soccer player who has gained valuable development experience through the JFA Future Camp, connecting the next generation of local talent with the clinic’s professional coaches and international soccer community.

Throughout the clinic, participants took part in drills, technical training, and games, then met the coaches, took photos, and received autographs.

One of the most special moments came at the end of the clinic, when every participant had the opportunity to play against the Special Coaches team. In a unique series of matches, the five coaches took on groups of approximately 20 kids at a time, giving the young players the unforgettable experience of competing directly against professionals and rising talent they had spent the day learning from.

The sold-out event reflects the continued enthusiasm for soccer across Hawaiʻi and the Pacific Rim Cup’s ongoing mission to create opportunities that connect the Islands with the international soccer community.

More than a soccer clinic, the event is part of Pacific Rim Cup’s broader mission to continue building momentum toward the return of the professional soccer tournament that brought MLS and J.League clubs to Hawaiʻi in 2018 and 2019. By creating meaningful opportunities for Hawaiʻi’s keiki to learn from and compete alongside professional players and coaches, Pacific Rim Cup is keeping that connection to the global game alive while working toward bringing the full professional tournament back to Hawaiʻi in 2029.

About Pacific Rim Cup

The Pacific Rim Cup has a proud history in Hawaiʻi. In 2018 and 2019, the tournament featured professional matches with teams from MLS (Major League Soccer) and the J.League (Japanese Professional Soccer League) at Aloha Stadium. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the stadium’s closure, these professional games had to be paused.

Since 2022, Blue United Corporation, the event organizer, has kept the PRC spirit alive by organizing youth soccer clinics for Hawaii’s keiki, with the ultimate goal of bringing professional soccer back in 2029.