The Illinois State Cup is the most prestigious tournament in Illinois and the official state championship tournament of the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series. Don’t be confused by similarly named league tournaments claiming to be a "state cup" championship.
Since 1966, even before its incorporation, Illinois Youth Soccer has been conducting this official annual state competition that is part of the national US Youth Soccer National Championship Series. The Illinois State Cup provides an opportunity for approximately 350 teams in the under 12 to 19 age groups to showcase their soccer skills against the best competition. Winners of the Illinois State Cup advance to the US Youth Soccer Midwest Regional Tournament and have the opportunity to qualify for the US Youth Soccer National Championship Finals. The national finals are a culmination of a year-long series of competitions at the state and regional levels providing approximately 185,000 players on 10,000 teams from US Youth Soccer’s 55 State Associations to compete against the best teams in the nation. The Illinois State Cup is one of the largest State Cup competitions in the United States.
The Illinois State Cup is ONLY open to all Illinois Youth Soccer/US Youth Soccer competitive member teams.
CHANGES EFFECTIVE FALL 2013
Beginning Fall 2013, U15-U18 Girls teams will play State Cup in the fall soccer season. All teams must register for the Illinois Entry Event to enter the process.
- Registration is open until July 12, 2013.
- Team Registration Fee is $250.
- Teams must be registered with an Illinois Youth Soccer competitive member league. All players and coaches must have a valid pass from an Illinois Youth Soccer member league.
- Teams play single elimination games until group play is reached (no earlier than Round of 16). Eight (8) teams will be considered for seeding from the previous year’s competitions directly into the Illinois State Cup competitions.
- Elimination games are expected to start early September, depending on the number of teams.
- Entry Event winners advance to Illinois State Cup; eliminated teams advance to Illinois Presidents Cup. Team will be sent registration info for the competition they qualify for.
- Questions? Contact Chris Jamrozy at chrisj@illinoisyouthsoccer.org or 847-290-1577 or Bill Bruno at bill@illinoisyouthsoccer.org
COMMON QUESTIONS - SELECT LINK FOR ANSWERS
WHAT ARE THE STATE CUP RULES?
U12 State Cup Rules (PDF Link)
U13-U19 State Cup Rules (PDF link)
US Youth Soccer National Championship Series Rules
US Youth Soccer NCS FAQ & Info
WHAT ARE THE IMPORTANT STATE CUP DEADLINES?
2013 Fall Illinois State Cup for U15-U18 Girls
- July 12, 2013: Team Registration Deadline
- August 15-September 15: Entry Event Single Elimination Games
- September 22: 1st Group Play Game Play By Date
- October 2: 2nd Group Play Game Play By Date
- October 12: 3rd Group Play Game Play By Date
- October 19: State Cup Semifinals
- October 20: State Cup & Presidents Cup Finals
WHO CAN PLAY IN STATE CUP?
This tournament is open to any Illinois Youth Soccer Association (IYSA) currently registered team comprised of properly registered and rostered youth players that participates in an IYSA only division of an IYSA affiliated competitive league during the current soccer year. The team must be in good standing and in compliance with Illinois Youth Soccer rules and requirements.
WHAT ARE THE STATE CUP FEES?
- Team Registration Fee $250 (All team pay in Entry Event registration)
- State Cup Round Robin Team Fee $150 (no more Advance Round Fee)
- Referee Fee $75 per team per game
- Parking & Facility Fee (If applicable)
WHICH PLAYERS CAN BE ON MY STATE CUP ROSTER?
In 2012 Illinois Youth Soccer and the US Youth Soccer National Championship Series moved to the Club Pass system. The Club Pass allows teams to use on their State Cup roster any player from within their club that is currently registered with an Illinois Youth Soccer competitive member league. Players from outside the club are NOT ALLOWED on State Cup rosters. NO GUEST PLAYERS!
Players are tournament/team locked once they play their first game. Players can only be listed on one State Cup or Presidents Cup roster.
A team may have on its team roster only players of the following age groups for the seasonal year in which the team is participating in the National Championships:
(1) For teams competing in the Under 13, Under 14, and Under 15 age groups, each player on the team must be (A) of the age of the age group competition in which the team is participating in that seasonal year, or (B) of the age in either of the next 2 younger age groups of that age group competition in which the team is participating in that seasonal year.
(2) For the teams competing in the Under 16, Under 17, Under 18, and Under 19 age groups, each player on the team must be (A) of the age of the age group competition in which the team is participating in that seasonal year, or (B) of the age of any younger age group, through the Under 14 age group, of that age group competition in which the team is participating in that seasonal year.
HOW DOES THE GROUP SCORING WORK?
Teams will compete in the single elimination Entry Event until the Round of 16. The final 16 teams will compete in a points-based group round-robin format. Group winners advance to semifinal and then championship play. If only 16 teams apply then we start with the round robin format.
Group play will be based on the same scoring used at the US Youth Soccer Midwest Regionals:
- Win: 3 points
- Tie: 1 points
- Loss: 0 points
If group play ends in a tie, the following criteria will determine tie-breakers.
- 1st: Head-to-head
- 2nd: Most Wins
- 3rd: Goal Differential (4 goal max per game)
- 4th: Goals Allowed
- 5th: Penalty Kicks
HOW DO I SCHEDULE MY STATE CUP GAMES?
Teams matched up in a Home-Team-Host match must communicate and mutually agree on a date and time to play the Home-Team-Host match. The team listed on the top of the bracket is the Home Team and the game should be played at their location (unless the Home Team fields are not available or a large distance of travel would be required for one or both teams. In that case, the game should be held at a neutral and equidistant location.) If team cannot mutually agree, the State Cup Director will make a final decision on where and when the match will be held.
Once a date, time and location are mutually agreed, the Home Team must email (no later than 72 hours prior to the start of the match), the name, address of the field and detailed field directions to the following persons:
- Steve Siomos, State Cup Referee Assignor: siomos@aol.com
- Chris Jamrozy, State Cup Administrator: chrisj@illinoisyouthsoccer.org
TEAMS DO NOT ASSIGN REFEREES FOR HOME-TEAM-HOST GAMES. The State Cup Referee Assignor will assign the officiating crew upon receipt of the above listed information.
WHAT ARE THE TEAM REQUIREMENTS PRIOR TO OUR FIRST GAME?
NO LATER THAN 48- HOURS PRIOR TO YOUR FIRST HOME-TEAM HOME MATCH, TEAM MUST:
- Enter into the Official Illinois State Cup Roster in the GotSoccer Registration System all players who will be competing on your team in State Cup. The maximum number of players is Twenty-Two (22). Include every player even if a player may be missing the first game(s). Only players who are listed on the official State Cup roster are eligible to compete in State Cup.
- To Enter Players Into Your Entry Event/State Cup Roster
- Login to your team GotSoccer account
- You will be take to your team’s Overview page. At the top of the page there is a Gray Bar that run the length of the page, "Overview" is highlighted in light blue. On that bar click on ROSTER
- This will take you to your PRIMARY PLAYER LIST (shown in the VIEW
BY EVENT drop down menu under the header: Team Name - Team Player List and Rosters"
- Add all you’re here (NOT AS GUEST PLAYERS). To add players click the REGISTER NEW PLAYER button and enter the player’s info. The main information to enter is the player’s name, birthdate and id number. If the system asks for
any other info (phone, email, etc) you can just enter the club’s info
- After you have entered all the players, from the VIEW BY EVENT dropdown menu select "Illinois Entry Event" All the players you entered should now be listed.
- Once all players are entered click the GENERATE ROSTER button. This WILL FREEZE YOUR ROSTER so be sure that ALL players that are going to compete are entered. No roster adjustments can be made after your first game so if a player may play, be sure to include them.
- Roster is frozen after the first Entry Event/State Cup match - players cannot be added after first match.
- Email chrisj@illinoisyouthsoccer.org or fax (847-290-1576) a copy of your Illinois Youth Soccer competitive member league roster(s) for EACH PLAYER entered on your Official Entry Event roster in GotSoccer. Only players who are listed in GotSoccer are eligible to compete in State Cup.
WHAT DO I BRING TO MY STATE CUP MATCHES
Teams are responsible to print and bring their Game Card to each State Cup game. Here is how you print your Game Card:
- Log into your GotSoccer account
- Select Entry Event or Illinois State Cup depending on which event you are currently in
- 3. Select "Schedule"
- 4. To download your Game Card for a specific game, go to the GRAY BOX with the PDF SYMBOL and a GAME # on the far left of the match listing. Just click on the game #, download, (you need PDF reader) and print that file.
Teams also bring the player cards and $75 referee fee to each State Cup match
WHAT DOES ILLINOIS YOUTH SOCCER PAY FOR EACH TEAM ADVANCING TO REGIONALS?
For each Illinois team that advances to the US Youth Soccer Midwest Regional Tournament, Illinois Youth Soccer pays the regional team entry fee and the cost to send an Illinois referee for each team to regionals. Illinois Youth Soccer pays approximately $1700 per team for the regionals.
State Cup champions also receive champion packets from Chipotle, the official sponsor of the Illinois State Cup.
Questions?? Contact Chris Jamrozy at chrisj@illinoisyouthsoccer.org / 847-290-1577 ext. 24 or Bill Bruno at bill@illinoisyouthsoccer.org
