Schedule announced for 2016 US Youth Soccer National Championships
Field of 10,000 teams narrowed to final 96 for National finals
Top boys and girls teams in seven age groups to be crowned in Frisco, Texas
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FRISCO, Texas (July 11, 2016) — US Youth Soccer is proud to announce the schedule for the 2016 US Youth Soccer National Championships, to be played July 26-31 at the Toyota Soccer Center in Frisco, Texas.
The 96 qualifying teams will play preliminary matches Tuesday, July 26 through Thursday, July 28 to determine who will advance in the pursuit for the National Championship. Following a day of rest on Friday, July 29, Under-13 and Under-19 title games will take place on Saturday, July 30. Under-14 through Under-18 teams will play semifinals on Saturday morning before crowning the National Champions on Sunday, July 31.
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The traditional 56 regional champions and representatives have advanced to the National Championships via success through the first two legs of the annual US Youth Soccer National Championship Series, where more than 10,000 teams began their journey at the US Youth Soccer State Championships.
State champions advanced to their respective US Youth Soccer Regional Championship, four in all, where more than 900 teams competed from all corners of the country. In addition to these 56 regional champions, 40 teams have punched their tickets to the National Championships via success in the US Youth Soccer National League.
Teams from the US Youth Soccer National League will complete the field of 96 alongside the regional qualifiers. National League qualifiers finished the highly competitive league among the top two in their respective divisions.
The National League consists of teams, Under-14 through Under-18 Boys and Girls, who qualified for league play through success in their respective US Youth Soccer Regional Leagues and US Youth Soccer Regional Championships. Established in 2007, National League teams have captured a combined 39 of a possible 58 US Youth Soccer National Championships in the first eight years.
For all teams competing in the National Championships, the annual Player Luncheon will be held July 25 at the Hilton Anatole in Dallas. The luncheon serves as the kickoff to the weeklong event highlighting the achievements of these national qualifiers.
Round robin match times are scheduled for 7:30 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on the opening day of play with preliminary games continuing through Thursday. Teams will earn three points for a win, one point for a tie and no points for a loss. The teams with the most points at the conclusion of Thursday’s play in the Under-13 and Under-19 age groups will advance to play for the National Championship on Saturday, July 30. In the Under-14 through Under-18 age groups, the top two teams in each group move on to semifinals for a chance to earn a place in their respective National Championship final on Sunday, July 31.
The James P. McGuire Cup final will begin at 8 p.m. CT on Saturday, July 30 to determine the Under-19 Boys National Champion. The James P. McGuire Cup is the oldest trophy in youth sports, dating back to 1935 with the inaugural youth championships, and played annually except during World War II. Officially known as the United States Soccer Federation National Junior Challenge Cup, the competition was renamed the James P. McGuire Junior Champion Cup in 1975, after the late United States Soccer Federation President.
Annually, the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series provides the nation’s top collegiate and professional coaches with the premier stage to identify and scout the most coveted players in the country.
Live broadcasts of more than 80 games, daily highlight videos, photos, reports and complete results from the US Youth Soccer National Championships are available on http://championships.usyouthsoccer.org.
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About the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series
The US Youth Soccer National Championship Series provides more than 10,000 teams from US Youth Soccer's 55 State Associations the opportunity to showcase their abilities against the best in the nation while emphasizing teamwork, discipline and fair play. The yearlong competition begins with over 185,000 players in the US Youth Soccer State Championships. These champions and selected wildcard teams, through US Youth Soccer Regional Leagues, advance to compete in one of four US Youth Soccer Regional Championships. Champions (U-13 through U-19) from each regional event advance to the US Youth Soccer National Championships. The Under-14 through Under-18 Boys and Girls age groups have four teams representing the US Youth Soccer National League, in which the top two teams in each gender age group division earn a direct path to the National Championships. Overall, the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series provides the nation's top collegiate coaches with the premier stage to identify and scout the most coveted players in the country. For more information, visit http://championships.usyouthsoccer.org.