Registration for each of the Spring 2027 Cup competitions is now open:
- Spring 2027 State Cup (12U-14U Girls & 12U-19U Boys)
- Spring 2027 Presidents Cup (12U-14U Girls & 12U-19U Boys)
- Spring 2027 Illinois Cup (13U-15U Girls & 13U-19U Boys)
Cups are 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 Spring 2027 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 Spring 2027 Presidents Cup info and registration
Launched in 2017, the Illinois Cup was created to provide 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 Spring 2027 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:
The following competitions will remain EXCLUSIVE to teams that are registered to an Illinois Youth Soccer member competitive league.
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 Academy & Homegrown
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)
- 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 February 19, 2027 in order to be on the sideline for any Spring Cup game.
Click here to complete SafeSoccer requirements
IMPORTANT CUP DATES
- Wednesday, February 10: Registration Deadline
- Friday, February 19: SafeSoccer Compliance Deadline
- Friday, February 19: Check Payment Deadline
- Friday, February 26: State Cup & Presidents Cup Brackets Released
- Wednesday, March 3: Illinois Cup Brackets Released
- Thursday, March 4: Spring Cup Webinar at 11am
- Thursday, March 11: Coaching Conflicts Due
- Friday, March 12: Cup Games Can Begin To Be Played
- Friday, March 19: Initial rosters and uploads due
- Friday, March 19: GAME CHANGE DEADLINE
- Thursday, April 1: Rockford Game Times Announced
- Monday, May 10: All Home Team Host & Moved Group Play Games Must Be Played By
- May 14-16: Group Play Weekend – Rockford
- May 16: Presidents Cup Quarterfinals – Rockford
- May 21-23: Presidents Cup & Illinois Cup Semifinals & Finals
- May 21-23: State Cup Quarterfinals & Semifinals
- May 28-29: State Cup Finals (Memorial Day Weekend)
Questions: Contact chrisj@illinoisyouthsoccer.org or call 847-290-1577 (Tues-Thurs)