Ottawa Internationals Annual Icebreaker Boys Soccer Tournament 2025 pre-Registration

THE  28th EDITION OF THE OTTAWA INTERNATIONALS'
“ICEBREAKER”  SOCCER  FESTIVALS AND TOURNAMENTS 
Girls:  May 24-25, 2025            Boys:  May 31 - June 1, 2025  

Dear Soccer Fans:

Following 2024’s amazingly successful Icebreaker, the Ottawa Internationals Soccer Club is extremely pleased, excited and proud to be able to invite your team to participate in the 28th Edition of the “Icebreaker” Soccer Tournament for U-13 to U-18 teams, or in the Icebreaker Mini Soccer Festival for U-9 to U-12 teams.  
As usual, “The Icebreaker” will be split over two week-ends with the Girls’ Teams playing on May 24 and 25 and the Boys’ Teams playing on May 31 and June 1.  Both competitions will have two categories-of-play - the “Ice Pile” and the “Snow Bank” in all of the age groupings from U-9 to U-17/18.

A MAXIMUM of twelve (12) teams will be eligible to compete in each of the five (5) combined Ice Pile and Snow Bank Tournament age groupings between U-13 and U-17/18; whereas a MAXIMUM of eight (8) teams will play in each of the Ice Pile Divisions and in each of the Snow Bank Divisions in each of the four (4) Festival Divisions between U-9 and U-12. 

In the U-13 to U-17/18 Tournament age groups, each Division will be comprised of a maximum of two six-team groupings and each grouping will play a full Round-Robin preliminary set of games before teams are seeded into the Ice Pile and the Snow Bank Divisions for the Play-off games. This format guarantees each participating team a minimum of six (6) games.  All games that are tied at the end of Regulation Time will use a Shoot-Out to determine the game’s winning team.  This rule applies to all tied games in both the Preliminary and Play-Off Rounds.  There will be a Champion and Silver Medalist in each of the two Play-Off Divisions (Ice Pile and Snow Bank) for the U-13 to U-17/18 Age Groups.

In the U-9 to U-12 Mini Soccer Festival, each of the four age groups will have an Ice Pile and a Snow Bank Division; and those two Divisions will each be comprised of two four-team pools which will play a complete Round-Robin against each team in the other pool. The U-9 and U-11 Divisions will play their games on the Saturday, whereas the U-10 and U-12 Divisions will play their games on the Sunday of their respective gender’s tournament weekend.

All of the "Icebreaker's" games will be held in the City of Ottawa and Festivals and Tournaments in the following age categories will be held:    

Since spaces are much more limited than in previous years, all teams are advised to register early in order to secure your spot in the Tournament or Festival and to avoid the disappointment of applying for a sold-out age group.  

HOTEL ACCOMODATIONS PROVIDED BY HTG SPORTS

PLEASE NOTE:  All girls’ teams from outside of the Eastern Ontario Soccer (EOS) are advised and STRONGLY encouraged to register for the Icebreaker AND to book their hotels as early as possible because the Ottawa Marathon Race Week-end is again running its races during the Girls’ Icebreaker week-end.

The maximum numbers of players who can be registered, dressed and play per team are as follows: U-9 and U-10 – 12 players; U-11 and U-12 – 20 players who are registered and 16 players playing; and U-13 to U-18 – 20 players registered and 18 players playing.  A player may be registered on, and play for, only one team and in only one age group in the Icebreaker.  The Entry Fees are $365 for U-9, U-10, U-11 and U-12 teams; and $665 for U-13 to U-18 teams.

The Icebreaker Festivals are awaiting approval by the Ontario Soccer Association as Inter-District Festivals and the Icebreaker Tournaments are awaiting approval by the Ontario Soccer Association as "ONACC” Tournaments which designation means that only Competitive Club (CC) Teams from anywhere in North America (NA) are eligible to participate.  

All Festival and Tournament teams must prove that they are registered with their District / Provincial / State soccer association and must be registered to play in an outdoor League in 2025.  In addition, all teams from outside of the EOS must produce an Authorized Travel Permit from their home soccer association which authorizes that team to participate in the Icebreaker and certifies that all players are registered to participate in the Icebreaker’s tournament “class”.   

In accordance with Ontario Soccer requirements, validly certified player passports or cards will be the only proof of player registration that will be accepted.  Improperly registered or unregistered players or teams will not be permitted to participate.  Teams must carry and supply proof of injury and liability insurance while participating in this event – which is evidenced by the team’s Authorized Travel Permit.  

For additional information and to register your team, please visit our web-site at: ottawaicebreaker.com 
 
The ENTRY DEADLINE is end of business day on Monday, May 5th, 2025

ICEBREAKER CATEGORY DEFINITIONS

ICE PILE

EOSL-Development U-9 to U-12 Premier teams 
EOSL-District U-13 to U18 Tier 1 Teams

Quebec U-13 to U-18 “A” and “AA” teams
Any team playing at the HIGHEST LEVEL within an Ontario Regional or a Multi-Jurisdictional League.

OYSL, LSEQ (Quebec “AAA”), OPDL and USODP teams will play in the Ice Pool but in the next older age grouping. These teams can play in the Snow Bank for age groupings that are 2 years older than the age group in which these teams are registered for league play.
        
   

SNOW BANK 

EOSL-Development U-9 to U-12 Tier 1 and Tier 2 teams 
EOSL-District  U-13 to U18 Tier 2 and Tier 3 teams
Quebec U-13 to U-18 “A” teams
Lower level (“L6”) teams within an Ontario Regional or a Multi-Jurisdictional League. 
Club Teams playing in an Ontario District League, 
Recreation level teams that are “carded” to play Competitively.