A youth soccer tournament featuring 120 teams from the Northeast region is coming to Valley Forge is ready to kick off, with games held at The Proving Grounds in Conshohocken and Plymouth Whitemarsh High School in Plymouth Meeting.
Known as the Eastern Presidents Cup, the competition is one of four regional events across the country where teams gets a chance to advance to the U.S. Youth Soccer National Presidents Cup, which will be played in Wichita, Kansas next month.
Approximately 120 teams with more than 2,500 players and 60 referees will participate from 15 state associations, including Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Eastern New York, New York West, PA West, Eastern Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia.
Valley Forge Tourism & Convention Board (VFTCB), Valley Forge Sports, Colonial School District, the County of Montgomery and Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer are partners in hosting the U.S. Youth Soccer event, which is expected to have an economic impact of around $5.5 million.
“Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer is excited and honored to bring a championship event to Montgomery County to showcase the great youth soccer teams of our region, as well as the first-class facilities and accommodations in the Valley Forge area,” said Chris Branscome, chief executive officer of Eastern Pennsylvania Youth Soccer. “We’re thrilled to have collaborated with Valley Forge Sports, Colonial School District, The Proving Grounds and elected officials to bring this event home to our very own backyard.”
Games will kick off at 8 a.m. June 16 at The Proving Grounds and at noon at Plymouth Whitemarsh High School and run through the early evening hours. The semifinals and finals will be played at The Proving Grounds between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. June 19 and 20. Each team will compete in group play for the first three days with one game per day across 16 fields. Group stage winners will advance to the semifinals. Admission is free and spectators are welcome.
“We’re thrilled to welcome the 2023 US Youth Soccer Eastern Presidents Cup to Montgomery County,” said VFTCB’s Director of Sports Jon Scheuren. “As the largest sporting event to ever come to the county with record-breaking attendance, it helps Valley Forge Sports showcase Montco as the premier youth sports host destination.”
Boys and girls teams at the youngest age group - 12 and under - will be competing for a regional title while the rest will move on to nationals. Both finalists will qualify for nationals in the 13U-18U age groups while just the 19U regional winner will advance.
Eastern Pennsylvania teams Iron Valley United Thorns 18U girls and North Union United Vipers 16U girls both won the National Presidents Cup trophy last year.
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