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Eastern Pennsylvania State Cup is an annual competition crowning state champions for boys and girls in age groups from U9-U19. It is a three-tiered competition with the NCS, Presidents Cup, and Challenge Cup representing different levels of play.
Teams will be placed into one of the three levels of competition. There will also be seeding instead of a blind draw and an effort to have less travel for teams in the early rounds of competition.
The NCS State Cup and State Presidents Cup will be contested in the U12-U19 age groups while the Challenge Cup will have three levels of competition at the U9-U11 age groups and one for U12-U19.
Teams that win the NCS State Cup will have a chance to advance to the US Youth Soccer Regional Championships while teams that win the Presidents Cup will have a chance to advance to the US Youth Soccer Eastern Presidents Cup. Challenge Cup teams only compete at the state level.
The US Youth Soccer Regional Championships will be held in Loudoun County, Va. from June 28 through July 3. Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer will host the Eastern Presidents Cup from June 13-17 at The Proving Grounds.
National events will be held for the Presidents Cup July 11-15 in Tampa, Fla., and the National Championships in Orlando July 22-27.
Spring 2025 Important Dates
February 2025
- February 5 – Registration Closes
- February 10 – Roster Pre-Clone
March 2025
- March 7 – Roster Freeze
- March 22-23 – Group Play: Weekend 1
- March 29-30 – Group Play: Weekend 1, 2
April 2025
- April 5-6 – Group Play: Weekend 1, 2, 3
- April 12-13 – Group Play: Weekend 2, 3
- April 19-20 – Easter (games can be played o Saturday)
- April 26-27 – Round of 16 (Weekend 2, 3 if no Round of 16)
May 2025
- May 3-4 – Quarterfinals (Weekend 3 if no Quaterfinals)
- May 10-11 – Semifinals
- May 17-18 – Finals (WSFS Sportsplex Union)
About Eastern Pennsylvania State Cups
National Championship Series
12U-19/20U
The first leg of the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series (NCS). It serves as an open competition that draws teams that participate at the highest levels of youth soccer throughout Eastern Pennsylvania. The State Cup champion advances to the US Youth Soccer Eastern Regional Championships.
Regional champions advance to compete in the US Youth Soccer National Championships.
Presidents Cup
13U-18/19U
A statewide championship that is part of the US Youth Soccer Presidents Cup National Event. The Presidents Cup is an open competition that is focused on teams that wish to play in a statewide competition that also offers an opportunity at the regional and national level.
Winners of the Presidents Cup will represent Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer at the Eastern Presidents Cup. Regional winners in the 13U -18/19U groups advance to the National Presidents Cup.
Challenge Cup
9U-19/20U
An open competition that draws teams that wish to participate in an Eastern Pennsylvania-wide competition which crowns an Eastern Pennsylvania champion.
There are three divisions of play for the Eastern Pennsylvania Challenge Cup in the 9U to 11U age groups: 9U – 11U will have Gold, Silver and Bronze levels of competition while 12U – 19U will have only one level of competition
There are no regional or national stages for the Challenge Cup.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I schedule a Home Game in GotSport?
To review the How to Schedule a Home Game procedures click the following:
What if we need to reschedule a Cup Game?
- Group Stage games can be re-scheduled from the initial date set within the GotSport public calendar.
- Group Stage and Knockout Round games will, however, lock 7 days prior to the scheduled game date and cannot be re-scheduled automatically within 7 days of the game date.
- Send an email to David Jones at djones@epysa.org with the following information: Game# New Date/ Location / Time.
How does a club add a field that currently is not listed as an option?
If a team desires to play on a field that is currently not listed as an option, Club Admins ONLY can add a location by following directions.
What documents are required for Cup Games (Player Passes, Game Card, etc.?)
- HOME and AWAY teams will be required to print (1) PDF copy of their Player Passes AND (3) copies of the Game Card for each game. You must select the “Photo” option for printing of the game card.
- Standard Player Passes (laminated) are NOT to be used for Cup Competitions.
- Electronic versions of Player Passes and Game Card will NOT be accepted
- Each team must supply (3) printed copies of the Game Card to be used by the opposing coach and referee for each game
- Each team must have a minimum of (1) printed hard copy PDF of player passes for each game
- Failure to provide the printed documents outlined above may lead to forfeit of the game.
- Please refer to the Cup rules about the check in process for each game.
How do I print a Game Card or PDF of Player Passes?
- Game Cards should be printed no more than 48 hours prior to scheduled kickoff. Cards are time-stamped for accuracy of information on the player roster.
- Instructions on how to Print a Game Card. You will select the “Photo” option. Make sure to select the correct event (State Cup NOT your League)
- Instructions on how to Print the PDF of Player Passes for Club Admins and for Coaches/Managers. Make sure to select the correct event (State Cup not your League)
How are red and yellow cards monitored?
Please refer to each Cup rules for information regarding yellow card accumulation and red card suspensions. Any suspension from yellow card accumulation or issuance of a red card in the prior game will be automatically recorded (a red line will be through the player/coach name) on the next Game Card and will be communicated by the Cup Committee to both teams prior to the next scheduled game.
Does our team need to enter scores after a Cup game?
The winning team will enter the score for the game. If there is a tie, the home team will enter the score for the game. All scores must be entered within 1 hour of the game ending.
Is there a fee to change an already scheduled Cup game?
Please review each Cup Competition rules (Scheduling Procedure and Fields sections) for additional information relating to game change requests.
How do we change the Home and Away team assignments for a single game (ie, a Home team can no longer host and is willing to play at the opponent’s field)?
Only the State Office can make changes to home and away team assignments. If both teams request that the Home/Away assignment be switched, please email David Jones at djones@epysa.org before the 7-day game lock with the following information:
- The Cup Competition
- The Age and Gender
- Currently listed Home Club and Team Name
- Currently listed Away Club and Team Name
- Date of game BOTH teams must be copied on the email request to change Home/Away assignments
What is the timeline for Cups?
- The NCS State Cup (12U-17U) and Presidents Cup (12U-18/19U) will take place between March and May, with the finals being played on Saturday, May 18, 2024 at the WSFS Bank Sportsplex in Chester, Pa. The NCS State Cup finals for U18 and U19 will be played on Sunday, June 2, 2024 at the WSFS Bank Sportsplex in Chester, Pa.
- The Challenge Cup (all ages) will take place between March and June, with the finals scheduled for WSFS Bank Sportsplex in Chester, Pa. on Sunday, June 2, 2024.
Can teams use Secondary, Guest or Club Pass Players in Cup Competition?
- Use of secondary, guest and club pass players in cup competitions is strictly forbidden. The novelty of the Cups is the fact that all rosters are ‘pure’. All non-primary players should be removed from Cup Rosters and all lineups. Rosters can be printed from your Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer account.
- There is one exception: NCS State Cup and Presidents Cup teams advancing to Regional Competitions may add club pass players to their Regional Rosters subject to the rules of the US Youth Soccer Eastern Regional Championships and Eastern Presidents Cup.
When is the 2024 Cup Roster Freeze?
The roster freeze for all cups is February 16, 2024 at 5 p.m.
How do I contact opponents?
To communicate with your upcoming opponent, you have two options:
- Use the chat feature located within GotSport (Instructions)
- On the public Cup page, click on the (Clubs) tab in the top right corner. Select the Club, then click on the (Team Name). Click the (View Contact) button that will list the Team Officials in GotSport for that team.
Is my league sanctioned as a Cup Qualifying League?
In order to participate in any Outdoor Cup Competition, a team must participate in an Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Cup Qualifying League. The following is a current list of Cup Qualifying Leagues. For specific information about Cup Qualifying League requirements, please visit the Rules section for the National Championship Series, Presidents Cup and Challenge Cup. Eligibility rules apply to all three State Cup competitions.
- Atlantic Premier League/Pennsylvania Area Girls Soccer League
- Central League
- Central Pennsylvania Youth Soccer League
- EDP-Eastern PA Youth Soccer
- EDP-Mid Atlantic & South Atlantic Conferences
- Inter County Soccer League
- Lanco Soccer League
- Lehigh Valley Youth Soccer League
- NorCenPenn Soccer League
- Reading Berks Juniors Soccer League
- Rock Soccer League
- York USA
What format does each Cup follow?
IThe NCS State Cup is a single-elimination tournament. Age group champions will advance to the US Youth Soccer Eastern Regional Championships to be held in West Virginia June 27-July 3, 2024. Teams that elect not to participate in US Youth Soccer Eastern Regional Championships or the US Youth Soccer National Championships are subject to a fine. The US Youth Soccer Eastern Regional Championships may select Wildcard teams to participate. This is at the sole discretion of the East Region Committee.
The Presidents Cup is a world-cup style tournament for all age groups. The competition includes a group stage followed by a knockout round to determine a champion. Games are played at home/away fields. An age group requires four (4) teams for competition to be offered. If less than four (4) teams enter, (1) combined age groups may be created at the discretion of the cup commissioner, (2) teams may enter a different cup competition, or (3) teams may have their registration fee returned. Age group champions and wild cards, if any, will advance to the Eastern Presidents Cup to be held June 14-18 in Charleston, WV. Teams that elect not to participate in regionals or US Youth Soccer Presidents Cup are subject to be fined.
The Challenge Cup is a world-cup style tournament for all age groups. The competition includes a group stage followed by a knockout round to determine a champion. Games will be played at home/away fields. An age group requires four (4) teams for competition to be offered. If less than four (4) teams enter, (1) combined age groups may be created at the discretion of the cup commissioner, (2) teams may enter a different cup competition, or (3) teams may have their registration fee returned. There is no competition beyond the state-level. Teams are not guaranteed three games, but most teams will play at least three games.
What days will Cup games be played on?
NCS State Cup games are expected to be played on (or before) the weekend they are scheduled by Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer. Presidents Cup and Challenge Cup Group Stage games are scheduled when agreed upon by both teams.
- All Presidents Cup Group Play games must be played by 8 p.m. on Sunday, April 21, 2024
- All Challenge Cup Group Play games must be played by 8 p.m. on Sunday, April 28, 2024
- For the 2024 NCS State Cup, Presidents Cup and Challenge Cup any potential bye scenarios and home team determinations will be made by blind draw. NCS State Cup home team determinations are made based on the following:
- In first round, the top team listed in the bracket will play at home.
- If Team A played home in the previous game and Team B played away, Team A will be away.
- If both teams played home/away, a coin flip will be conducted by the Cup Committee to determine home field of the next scheduled game.
- Please note that weather-related scenarios or playoffs, etc., could alter the above.
- For the 2024 NCS State Cup, Presidents Cup and Challenge Cup any potential bye scenarios and home team determinations will be made by blind draw.
- NCS State Cup home team determinations are made based on the following;
- In first round, the top team in the bracket will play at home.
- If Team A played home in the previous game and Team B played away, Team A will be away.
- If both teams played home/away, a coin flip will be conducted by the Cup Committee to determine home field.
- Please note that weather-related scenarios or playoffs, etc., could alter the above.
- Presidents Cup and Challenge Cup home team determinations are made by blind draw.
- All Cup Finals will be scheduled by Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer and may not follow the procedures above. Please plan accordingly, as Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer cannot honor schedule requests for the finals. Playoff games may be scheduled on Saturday or Sunday.
How many players can play on game day?
- 9U and 10U – 12 players can play on game day.
- 11U and 12U – 16 players can play on game day.
- 13U and above – 18 players can play on game day.
*Teams (13U-19U) may roster 22 players for the Cup Competition but only 18 are eligible to participate on game day. Only the 18 players eligible for the game are to appear on your lineup that you present to the referee and opponent. Players designated as ‘not playing’ cannot dress in their team uniform. They must dress in street clothes or a different colored jersey. The players designated as ‘not playing’ may sit with their team in the team area, bench or technical area. Once made ineligible from the lineup, a player may not participate in that game. However, ineligible players are still subject to the Laws of the Game and can receive yellow/red cards for indiscretions.
How do teams handle assigning/paying referees?
- All referees are assigned through Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer’s certified assignors.
- After the match is entered and confirmed in the GotSport online system, the Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer Cup Committee will assign referees to the match.
- Each team will pay HALF of the total referee fees for each match, except for the Finals. For a breakdown of referee costs per game please click here.
*For all referee scenarios and referee payment information, reference the Referee Section of the specific Cup Competition Rules your team is participating in.
How will seeding be determined?
Teams register and decide what level Cup they want to play. The applied team list will go out to confirm you are in the correct Cup, then coaches will rank the top 4 teams in your age group. Brackets will be released the first week of March.
How do teams report scores?
The winning team will enter the score for the game. If there is a tie, the home team will enter the score for the game. All scores must be entered within 1 hour of the game ending.
Teams then have until 10 a.m. the following morning to appeal the score or cards entered by the referee. Once a game card is signed by both team’s officials, the score and cards are official and cannot be protested. If a score is entered incorrectly, you must contact the Director of Soccer Operations before 10 a.m. the day following the game to file an appeal (David Jones djones@epysa.org). Any appeal received after this deadline will not be considered.
When and Where will Cup Finals take place?
- NCS State Cup (12U-17U) – WSFS Bank Sportsplex in Chester, Pa. – May 18
- NCS State Cup (18U-19U) – WSFS Bank Sportsplex in Chester, Pa – June 2
- Presidents Cup (all ages) – WSFS Bank Sportsplex in Chester, Pa. – May 18
- Challenge Cup (all ages) – WSFS Bank Sportsplex in Chester, Pa. – June 2
How do I know if my team is Cup eligible?
See the top section of each Cup Competition Rules for information on eligibility. Eligibility rules apply to all three State Cup competitions.
Who should I contact with questions?
David Jones – djones@epysa.org
Who should I contact with Referee questions?
David Jones – djones@epysa.org
What is the Registration Fee for State Cup?
$400
*Referee fees are NOT included in the registration fee. Referee fees are split between opponents in accordance with the current Referee Fee Schedule that can be found within each Cup Competition Rules.
*Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer is responsible for all State Cup Finals Referee Fees