The Dr Pepper Dallas Cup 40 kicks off on Sunday, and the Gordon Jago Super Group is set to lead the charge once again. The competition, the oldest and most prestigious youth tournament in the United States, is played at four venues around the Dallas MetroPlex over the next week.

As a part of the Super Group, some of the best Under-19 and reserve squads from around the world converge in the Dallas area, with three of the six opening games at the historic Cotton Bowl, starting at 12:30 with FC Dallas against Villarreal CF (Spain), followed by Arsenal FC (England) against CF Monterrey Rayados (Mexico) at 3:00 and finishing with Liverpool FC (England) against last year's Super Group champion, Tigres UANL (Mexico) at 6:30.

The tournament's Opening Ceremony will be at 5:00 and feature two of North America's most iconic players as the USA's Landon Donovan and Mexico's Luis Hernandez will be honored and participate in the ceremonial First Kick.

Other opening day games include NYCFC (MLS) against Ikapa Sporting FC (South Africa) at 11:30 on Field 10 at Richland College, Real Salt Lake (MLS) against Toronto FC III (MLS) at 11:30 on Field 8 at MoneyGram Park, and Red Bull Brazil against Queretaro Gallos Blancos (Mexico) at 1:30 on Field 5 and MoneyGram Park.

Matchday Two for the Super Group is on Monday with all of the games at MoneyGram Park. The final group games will be on Wednesday, but the schedule is to be determined based on the results from the first two matchdays in order to showcase the two best Super Group games at the Cotton Bowl. The tournament finishes at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, home of FC Dallas and the US Soccer Hall of Fame, next weekend. The full schedule of the entire tournament, including the Gordon Jago Super Group, can be found at www.DallasCup.com.

The groups are as follows: Group A has Ikapa Sporting FC, NYCFC, Liverpool and Tigres; Group B has RSL, Toronto FC, Arsenal and Monterrey; and Group C has Villarreal, FC Dallas, Red Bull Brasil and Queretaro. While all area quality teams, it is sometimes difficult to predict which teams will be playing at their best coming into the tournament. Here are a few notes about each of the Super Group participants.

Tigres, Champions of the 2018 Dallas Cup Super Group. (Dallas Cup)

Tigres are regular participants in the

Pepper Dallas Cup and are the reigning Gordon Jago Super Group champions. If they repeat, it will only be for the fifth time in the tournament's history.

Liverpool is making their second appearance in the

Pepper Dallas Cup as they won the Super Group in 2008. The club as a whole is having a phenomenal year at all levels.

FC Dallas

the only MLS academy team to have won the Super Group, taking the title in 2017, and are one of the league's most successful academy programs. A number of their alumni currently play in the top flight.

Monterrey, like Tigres, has a history of strong performances in the

Pepper Dallas Cup. They have the most tournament championships across all age

but have yet to win the Gordon Jago Super Group.

Arsenal FC

the current leaders of the U18 Premier League South Division and return as last year's Super Group runner-up. This is their third appearance in the Super Group.

is currently doing very well in La Liga and

also seen success at the youth level. This will be the Spanish club's first appearance in the Super Group. The last time a Spanish side won the Super Group, it was when Real Madrid won back to back titles in 1993 and 1994.

Queretaro is another Mexican program and they have had success at the younger divisions, although they are a more recent participant than their fellow Liga MX clubs. This will be the club's third appearance in the Super Group.

Ikapa Sporting FC is the first team to participate in the Super Group from South Africa since 1999. They would be the first African side to win a Dallas Cup flight since Nigeria's Trebor Lions won the U19 division in 1985.

Red Bull Brasil is back for their third consecutive appearance in the Super Group.

Toronto FC is making their fourth appearance in the Super Group. They are one of four MLS Development Academy teams in the top division of the

Pepper Dallas Cup.

Real Salt Lake is making their fifth appearance in the Super Group and

replacing Brazil's

which had to withdraw due to scheduling conflicts.

NYCFC, winners of the USSF Development Academy U18-U19 championship,

making their first appearance in the Gordon Jago Super Group.