User:Rylesbourne/sandbox/Lewis Cup
Organising body | U.S. Soccer |
---|---|
Founded | 1914 |
Region | United States |
Number of teams | 92 |
Qualifier for | Leagues Cup |
Current champions | Minnesota United (1st title) |
Most successful club(s) | New York Cosmos (6 titles) |
Television broadcasters | ESPN+, ESPN2 |
2022 Lewis Cup |
The Horace Edgar Lewis Cup (referred to historically, and colloquially, as the Lewis Cup), currently known as the Bodyarmor Cup for sponsorship reasons, is an annual knockout football competition and major trophy in men's domestic American soccer. Organized by the United States Soccer Federation, it is open to any independent professional club within the top three levels of the American soccer pyramid – 92 clubs in total – comprising the top level Major League Soccer, and the three leagues beneath it: (USL Championship, USL League One and National Independent Soccer Association). The independent Rochester New York FC of MLS Next Pro also competes.
First held in 1960–61 as the Football League Cup, it is one of the four top-tier domestic football competitions in England, alongside the MLS Cup, Supporters' Shield and U.S. Open Cup. The tournament begins in February, before the other two, and concludes in August, prior to the Open Cup (September), Supporters Shield (October), and MLS Cup (November).
The tournament is played over seven rounds, with single-leg ties throughout, with the host drawn at random with a weighted lottery for lower league hosts. The winner qualifies for the Leagues Cup. Should the winner also qualify for Europe through other means at the end of the season, this place is transferred to the highest-placed MLS team not already qualified for CONCACAF competition. The current holders are Minnesota United, who beat Sporting Kansas City on penalties in the 2022 final to win their first league cup.