The American Football Association Challenge Cup (also known as the American Association Cup or simply American Cup) was the first major U.S. soccer competition open to teams beyond a single league. It was first held in 1884, and organised by the American Football Association (AFA).
In the 1910s, it gradually declined in importance with the establishment of the National Challenge Cup. The competition was last held in 1924.
History Founded in 1884, the American Football Association (AFA) was the first non-league organizing body in the United States. Allied with the Football Association, the AFA sought to standardize rules for teams competing in northern New Jersey and southern New York.
Within two years, this region began to widen to include teams in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. Within a year of its founding, the AFA organized the first non-league cup in U.S. soccer history. Teams from New Jersey and Massachusetts dominated the first twelve years. Then in 1897, Philadelphia Manz brought the title to Pennsylvania for the first time. By the mid-1890's soccer in American was struggling due to New England going through difficult economic times.
As a result, the AFA suspended the cup from 1899 until 1906. By that time, the growth in the sport had led to a confusion of rules and standards. This led to a movement to create a truly national body to oversee U.S. soccer. Drawing on both its position as the oldest soccer organization and the status of the American Cup, the AFA argued that it should be the nationally recognized body. In October 1911, a competing body, the American Amateur Football Association (AAFA) was created. It quickly spread outside the northeast U.S. and began its own cup in 1912, the American Amateur Football Association Cup.
That year, both the AFA and AAFA applied for membership in FIFA, the international organizing body for soccer. In 1913, the AAFA gained an edge over the AFA when several AFA organizations moved to the AAFA. On April 5, 1913, the AAFA reorganized as the United States Football Association. FIFA quickly granted a provisional membership and USFA began exerting its influence on the sport. This led to the establishment of the National Challenge Cup that fall. The National Challenge Cup quickly grew to overshadow the American Cup. However, both cups were played simultaneously for the next ten years. Declining respect for the AFA led to the withdrawal of several associations from its cup in 1917. Further competition came in 1923 when USFA created the National Amateur Cup. That spelled the death knell for the American Cup. It played its last season in 1924.
Trophy The trophy was made by Tiffany & Co. and is described as "a very elegant sterling silver trophy. It is a vase about thirteen inches high surmounted by a Roman athlete. On either side is a foot ball and goal post, while in front on a large shield is the inscription"."A Silver Trophy". (October 4, 1884). Newark Daily Advertiser, p.2 col.5
Champions List of finals Ed. Season Champion Score Runner-up 1884–85 Clark ONT 1–0 New York F.B.C. 1885–86 Clark ONT 3–1 Kearny Rangers 1886–87 Clark ONT 3–2 Kearny Rangers 1887–88 Fall River Rovers 5–1 Newark Almas 1888–89 Fall River Rovers 4–0 Newark Caledonians 1889–90 Fall River Olympics 4–3 Kearny Rovers 1890–91 Fall River East Ends 3–1 Brooklyn Longfellows 1891–92 Fall River East Ends 5–2 New York Thistle 1892–93 Pawtucket Free Wanderers 3–1 New York Thistle 1893–94 Fall River Olympics 4–1 Paterson True Blues 1894–95 Newark Caledonians 4–0 Pawtucket Free Wanderers 1895–96 Paterson True Blues 7–2 Fall River Olympics 1896–97 Philadelphia Manz 5–2, 2–2 Paterson True Blues 1898 Arlington A.A. 4–2 Kearny A.C. 1899–1905 1906 West Hudson 3–1 Paterson True Blues 1906–07 Clark 4–0 Scottish Americans 1907–08 West Hudson 3–2 Paterson True Blues 1908–09 Paterson True Blues 2–1 East Newark Clark 1909–10 Tacony 2–1 Scottish Americans 1910–11 Howard and Bullough 1–1, 3–1 Philadelphia Hibernian 1911–12 West Hudson 1–0 Paterson Rangers 1912–13 Paterson True Blues 2–1 Tacony 1913–14 Bethlehem F.C. 1–0 Tacony 1914–15 Scottish Americans 1–0 Brooklyn Celtic 1915–16 Bethlehem Steel 3–0 Scottish American 1916–17 Bethlehem Steel 7–0 West Hudson A.A. 1917–18 Bethlehem Steel 1–0 Babcock & Wilcox 1918–19 Bethlehem Steel 2–0 Paterson F.C. 1919–20 Brooklyn Robins Dry Dock 1–0 Bethlehem Steel 1920–21 Brooklyn Robins Dry Dock 5–2 Fore River 1921–22 1922–23 Fleisher Yarn 2–0 J&P Coats 1923–24 Bethlehem Steel 1–0 Fall River F.C.
Titles by club Club Titles Winning years Bethlehem Steel 1914, 1916, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1924 Clark O.N.T. 1885, 1886, 1887 West Hudson 1906, 1908, 1912 Paterson True Blues 1896, 1909, 1913 Fall River Rovers 1888, 1889 Fall River Olympics 1890, 1894 Fall River East Ends 1891, 1892 Brooklyn Robins Dry Dock 1920, 1921
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