Illinois Youth Soccer is excited to announce that starting Fall 2026 State Cup, Presidents Cup & Illinois Cup Gold will now be open to ANY team registered to a US Soccer affiliated organization. This change will allow teams from across all platforms the opportunity to compete for coveted state titles and advance to US Youth Soccer Regional and National events.
The State Cup is the premier championship tournament in Illinois with state champions advancing on to compete for the US Youth Soccer National Championship. This is far more than just another tournament; the State Cup has long served as the proving ground for many of the greatest teams to ever play in the “Land of Lincoln.” The history, tradition and prestige surrounding this competition makes it the pinnacle of youth soccer in Illinois.
Click here for Fall 2026 State Cup info and registration
The Illinois Presidents Cup also provides teams with a statewide championship experience and a pathway to regional and national competitions. Illinois Champions advance to the US Youth Soccer Regional Presidents Cup with hopes of eventually reaching the US Youth Soccer National Presidents Cup. If the State Cup is the UEFA Champions League, then the Presidents Cup is the Europa League, highly competitive and nationally respected in its own right. Illinois hosts one of the largest Presidents Cup events in the country, and since the competition launched in 2009, Illinois teams have established themselves as national contenders by capturing 73 regional Presidents Cup titles and 26 (and counting) National Presidents Cup championships.
Click here for Fall 2026 Presidents Cup info and registration
Launched in 2017, the Illinois Cup was created to provide Illinois Youth Soccer all teams the opportunity to experience a statewide championship tournament. The competition mirrors the format of the State Cup and Presidents Cup while offering an ideal championship environment for teams still developing toward those elite events. The Illinois Cup features two divisions of play: Illinois Cup Gold, which is open to all member teams including tournament-only teams and teams that do not advance to Presidents Cup group play; and Illinois Cup Silver, which is reserved exclusively for teams competing in the third division or lower of IYSA member competitive leagues and meeting specific eligibility requirements. Together, these competitions allow Illinois Youth Soccer to provide meaningful championship opportunities for teams across every level of the game.
Click here for Fall 2026 Illinois Cup info and registration
HOW REGISTRATION WILL WORK & FEES
For teams registered to an Illinois Youth Soccer member competitive league (CIYSL, IWSL, YSSL, SLYSA-IL, ILLOWA) the event registration fee will be $1150 for State Cup & Presidents Cup and $975 for Illinois Cup. ALL PLAYERS must be registered to an IYSA member league to pay this fee.
For teams NOT registered to an IYSA member competitive league, the event registration fee will be $1550 for State Cup and Presidents Cup and $1375 for Illinois Cup. The registration fee applies to teams who are registered to any of the following: ECNL, Elite Academy, Girls Academy, MLS Next, National 1 League, National Academy League, US Club, NISL, etc. This additional fee registers all players on the roster with US Youth Soccer making them eligible for state, regional and national USYS competitions.
The Cup fees covers ALL costs for the State event as well as ALL event fees for teams that advance to Regional and National competitions. Teams are only responsible for their travel costs.
If your team and ALL of its players are duel registered both in an IYSA member competitive league and another competition platform, your team would pay the member fee.
For details on how to register with an IYSA member competitive league, click here.
WHICH COMPETITIONS IS THIS FOR
The open registration will be for:
- State Cup
- Presidents Cup
- Illinois Cup Gold
The following competitions will remain EXCLUSIVE to teams that are registered to an Illinois Youth Soccer member competitive league.
- Junior Cup
- Illinois Cup Silver
TEAM RESTRICTIONS
The State Cup is open to any team no matter which US Soccer affiliated competition they compete in.
Teams that play in any of the following are NOT eligible to compete in the Presidents Cup
- ECNL
- Girls Academy
- MLS Next
- National 1 League (N1) Premier I Divisions
In addition to IYSA member competitive league teams, teams that play in the following ARE eligible to compete in the Presidents Cup
- ECNL RL
- GA Aspirte
- MLS Next 2
- National 1 League (N1) Premier II Divisions
- Elite Academy (EA)
- National Academy League (NAL)
PLAYER PASSES
Illinois Youth Soccer member teams, meaning a team who has ALL of their players registered to an IYSA member league, will present their league issued passes for all Cup matches.
Non-IYSA members, will be required to upload documentation showing all of the players on their Cup roster as being registered to the participating Cup team(s). Teams must be able to provide a team roster from a US Soccer affiliate to compete in State Cup or Presidents Cup. For Regional & National events, any club pass player not on the Cup roster will have to be registered to IYSA in order to be eligible for those competitions. All players on non-member rosters must complete the IYSA medical waiver and the team must upload them into GotSport no later than 72-hours prior to the teams first match. Players that fail to complete the medical waiver may be ruled ineligible to compete in a Cup event.
Tournament only teams are not permitted in State Cup or Presidents Cup.
Non-IYSA members will be required to show GotSport generated Cup passes for all Cup matches that include a player photo.
If a player is registered to one club in Illinois Youth Soccer and another club on another platform, in any instance where two teams try to roster a player onto a Cup roster – by default the player will be placed on the Illinois Youth Soccer member roster over a non-member.
COACHES
Any coach (and/or any adult) that will be on the team sideline will be required to be current and up-to-date on all Illinois Youth Soccer risk management requirements, fully complaint will US Soccer’s SafeSoccer and show an IYSA member competitive league or IYSA approved coaches pass.
As of May 2025, all Illinois Youth Soccer risk management requirements are done thru the US Soccer SafeSoccer. Any coach (and/or adult) who has not yet done so, must complete ALL parts of SafeSoccer by July 31, 2026 in order to be on the sideline for any Fall Cup game.
Click here to complete SafeSoccer requirements
IMPORTANT CUP DATES
- Friday, June 19: Cup Registration Opens
- Friday, July 24: Cup Registration Closes
- Click here for State Cup Registration
- Click here for Presidents Cup Registration
- Click here for Illinois Cup Registration
- Wednesday, July 31: SafeSoccer Compliance Deadline
- Friday, August 14: Bracket Announcement
- Tuesday, August 18: Fall Cups Webinar
- Friday, August 21: Coaching Conflicts Due
- Friday, August 21: Cup Games Can Begin To Be Played
- Friday, August 28: GAME CHANGE DEADLINE
- Wednesday, September 2: Rockford Game Times Announced
- Monday, September 28: All Home Team Host & Moved Group Play Games Must Be Played By
- October 2-4: Group Play Weekend – Rockford
- October 16-17: State Cup & Presidents Cup Quarterfinals*
- October 16-18: Illinois Cup Semifinals & Finals
- October 18: State Cup & Presidents Cup Semifinals**
- Saturday, November 7: Presidents Cup Finals
- Sunday, November 8: State Cup Finals
*Teams can agree to move Quarterfinals to be played Monday, October 5 – Wednesday, October 14
** Teams can agree to move Semifinals to be played Monday, October 19 – Monday, November 2
Questions: Contact chrisj@illinoisyouthsoccer.org or call 847-290-1577 (Tues-Thurs)