Michigan State Youth Soccer Association

HomeTournament Format

TOURNAMENT FORMAT

  • The MSYSA State Cup will have two (2) divisions – the ELITE division and the PREMIER division.
  • Teams may request a preferred division, however, division placement is the discretion of the MSYSA State Cup Committee.
  • The MSYSA State Cup Committee will not entertain appeals or protests of any kind based on the division placement of teams.
  • The Elite division is intended for teams that participate in any multi-state regional or national league (Elite 64, Elite 64 Regional League, NLC, and others) and some Great Lakes Premier League teams. Other teams may be considered at the discretion of the MSYSA State Cup Committee.
  • U13 – U18/U19 winners of the Elite division are expected to advance to the US Youth Soccer Midwest Regional Championships as the state representative. In same cases, other teams from the Elite division may advance to the US Youth Soccer Midwest Regional Championships as the state representative.
  • The Premier division is intended for teams that participate in the Michigan State Premier Soccer Program and select leagues throughout Michigan. Other teams may be considered, including Great Lakes Premier League teams, at the discretion of the MSYSA State Cup Committee.
  • U13 – U18/U19 winners of the Premier division are expected to advance to the US Youth Soccer Midwest President’s Cup as the state representative. In some cases, other teams from the Premier division may advance to the US Youth Soccer Midwest President’s Cup as the state representative.
  • For both divisions, if a team chooses not to accept an earned spot or a potential earned spot at a regional competition, they must notify the MSYSA State Office of their intention in writing at least 60 days before the regional competition. This includes those teams who qualify in the spring with less than 60 days between State Cup and the regional tournament(s).
  • For both divisions, if a team chooses not to accept an earned spot, that spot may be offered to another team in that same State Cup age/gender/division at the discretion of the MSYSA State Cup Committee.
  • In instances where there cannot be at least eight (8) teams in a given State Cup age/gender/division, the MSYSA State Cup Committee may elect to combine age groups or divisions.
  • The MSYSA State Cup will have four (4) distinct rounds – the Preliminary Games, Quarterfinal Round, Semifinal Round, and Finals Round.
  • Any age/gender/division with fifteen (15) or fewer teams will not have a Quarterfinal Round. Teams will advance from the Preliminary Games to the Semifinal Round.
  • In the preliminary rounds, all age groups and divisions will consist of four (4) or five (5) team pools.
  • Within a specific State Cup age/division/gender, all preliminary round brackets will contain the same number of teams.
  • To ensure that all brackets (within a specific age/gender/division) contain the same number of teams, the MSYSA State Cup Committee reserves the right to accept or deny teams into the tournament and divisions based on MSYSA Junior State Cup history, MSYSA State Cup history, current league play records, league play history, team composition, prior tournament history, and/or adherence to State Cup application submission and payment deadlines.
  • Teams will be scheduled to play three (3) or four (4) preliminary games.
  • The preliminary games round will be conducted using a “round robin” format.
  • All preliminary games are scheduled by the teams involved, unless MSYSA intervention is necessary.
  • Winners of each pool in the preliminary rounds and wildcards (when applicable) will advance to the next subsequent round.
  • The MSYSA State Cup Committee will schedule and host all Quarterfinal, Semifinal, and Final games.