Inaugural edition of Embassy Cup kicks off Friday at Maryland SoccerPlex
Bethesda Soccer Club and the Maryland SoccerPlex are hosting the first running of the Embassy Cup, a new tournament which will serve as a qualifier for the prestigious Generation Adidas Bethesda Premier Cup.
Along with the Bethesda Qualifier Bracket, future editions of the event will include an International Bracket with teams from all over the world. The first edition, being played June 19-21 exclusively at the SoccerPlex, will host U-9 to U-17 Boys and Girls Divisions in the Qualifier Bracket. With several hundred teams having been denied to entry to the Bethesda Premier Cup in recent years, Tournament Director Brad Roos has implemented qualifying opportunities at Rush For The Cup (Sept. 5-6) and now the Embassy Cup.
+Read: Bethesda SC, Maryland SoccerPlex expanding tournament network overseas
“For the 400-plus teams that did not get into Bethesda, this is a chance to earn your way in,” said Roos. “Quite a few tournaments were cancelled this year from February to April, so we do want teams to get another opportunity to get in a good end-of-season event.”
In coming years, tournament organizers hope to grow the Embassy Cup into a major cultural attraction much like the Dallas Cup, where high-level competition brings together youth footballers from around the world for a unique global festival.
“We want this to be one of the international events that people go to not only for the competition, but because it’s a great cultural experience,” said SoccerPlex Executive Director Trish Heffelfinger, one of Roos’ chief partners in organizing the Embassy Cup.
Teams representing 38 soccer clubs from seven U.S. states and Washington, D.C. will attend the 2015 Embassy Cup. Attending clubs include: Arlington Soccer, Arsenal FC, Baltimore Bays, Baltimore Celtic, Barca FC, Beachside SC, Bethesda SC, Calvert Soccer Association, Calverton SC,Chantilly SC,Concord Soccer, DC Stoddert,DFC Vasquez Academy, Freedom SC, Future SC, GPS Carolina, Hamilton Township SC (NJ), Lee Mt. Vernon SC (LMVSC), Maryland Rush Montgomery, Montgomery Soccer Club, Old Dominion FC, Olney Boys & Girls Club (OBGC), Potomac Soccer, South Central Premier (CT), Southwestern Youth Association (SYA), St. Mary’s Soccer, Vienna Youth Soccer, Vincent United, Washington Diplomats, Laurel SC, Herndon Youth Soccer, STA Morris United, Western Lehigh United, Pachuca FC, Knights FC, LDC United, A3 Soccer and Stars United.
See below for a full schedule and full list of attending teams.
Girls
U-9
Bethesda Academy Blue
Bethesda Academy Green
Bethesda Academy White
U-11/12
Baltimore Bays Chelsea Lightning
Baltimore Bays Legacy
Baltimore Celtic Green
Bethesda Green
U-13
Beachside SC
Bethesda Blue
Bethesda White
Vincent United Vengeance
U-14
Blue Division
Calvert United White
Freedom United
OBGC Fortuna
Green Division
Bethesda Academy Blue
Beachside SC
Vincent United Magic
U-15
Calvert Sharks
Potomac Blue
Vienna Patriots Red
Vincent United Sirens
U16/U17
Blue Division
Chantilly Magic
Hamilton Township
ODFC Cesena
South Central
Green Division
Arlington Rowdies White
Concord Fusion
Lee-Mt Vernon Patriots Red
MD Rush Montgomery Thunder
Boys
U-9
Blue Division
Bethesda Black
Future Monarchs Black
GPS Carolina Elite U8
Montgomery Soccer Green
Green Division
Bethesda White
BFC Barca Elite
GPS Carolina Elite U9
Montgomery Soccer White
U-10
BFC Barca Premier
Future Monarchs Black
MSC Academy
Washington Diplomats White
U-11
Bethesda Yellow
MD Rush Academy Blue
Potomac Blue
Washington Diplomats
U-12
Blue Division
Arsenal FC
Bethesda South
Calvert Panthers White
Green Division
Barca Premier
Bowie Bulldogs
Calverton Cerritos
U-13
Blue Division
DC Stoddert Blue Metros
Potomac Premier
SYA Cardinals Red
Green Division
DFC Vasquez Academy
Herndon Gunners
Laurel Lions
U-14/U-15
Bethesda Green
DC Stoddert Blue Metros
St. Mary’s Dynamo Premier
STA Morris United
Western Lehigh United Titans
U-15/U-16
Blue Division
DC Stoddert Red Metros 98
Bethesda Green
Pachuca Dragons 99
FSC Dragons
Green Division
DC Stoddert Red Metros 99
Knights FC
Pachuca River Plate
PDA South Union
U-17
Blue Division
Blue Monkeys
LDC United City Islanders
MD Rush Montgomery
Green Division
A3 Elite
Barca Elite
Stars United
