US Club Soccer has announced the clubs who will contest the inaugural Champions Cup to be held Easter Weekend, April 13-16, at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex near Orlando, Fla. The Champions Cup is a true club championship utilizing a unique format with clubs accumulating points for results at U13, U15 and U17 age groups. An invitation only event, boys and girls' championships will be contested separately by the following clubs:
| Boys |
Girls |
| Atlanta Concorde Fire FC (GA) |
CASL (NC) |
| CASL (NC) |
Colorado Rush (CO) |
| Colorado Rush (CO) |
FC DELCO (PA) |
| Internationals SC (OH) |
Internationals SC (OH) |
| Mass Premier Soccer (MA) |
Mass Premier Soccer (MA) |
| PDA (NJ) |
San Juan SC (CA) |
| Richmond Strikers SC (VA) |
Southern California Blues SC (CA) |
| Schulz Academy (FL) |
Weston Fury SC (FL) |
"With such a strong, talented field of competitors, we anticipate the inaugural Champions Cup will be an unprecedented success," said US Club Soccer Executive Director Bill Sage. "Their commitment to this event is evidence of clubs' great desire for a true national club championship. Not only will they partake of intense competition on the field, but the format of the Champions Cup will further foster their club camaraderie."
Contested on the Hess Sports Fields at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex, the Champions Cup format focuses on the importance of the entire club. During the first three days of the Cup, two, four-team pools in U13, U15 and U17 age divisions will play in a round robin format. Following pool play, placement matches pairing teams from corresponding groups based on their results will determine the eventual Cup winner in each age bracket. While individual age group winners will be recognized, the Champions Cup champion will be the club with the most cumulative points from its participating teams in all three age groups. Both a boys and a girls' club champion will be crowned.
Bios of each club participating in the 2006 Champions Cup can be found at www.usclubsoccer.org.
