Open to all MSA U9-U12 Boys & Girls Teams! Is your team up for the challenge?
Qualification Weekend (Up to 4 Games | 2 Days): April 26-27, 2025 @ Key City Park – $460/team
Finals Weekend (Up to 2 Games | 1 Day): May 10 (Girls) May 11 (Boys), 2025 @ Key City Park – $230/team
Registration Opens: December 6, 2024 | Registration Closes: February 14, 2025
State Cup Roster Freeze Date: April 4, 2025
REGISTER your Team for the U9-U12 Mississippi State Cup:
⚠️ All teams MUST qualify through their MSA Sanctioned Spring League or the Qualification Weekend to secure a spot at Finals Weekend ⚠️
REGISTER HERE if your team IS participating in a U9-U12 MSA Sanctioned League this Spring!
Teams participating in a U9-U12 MSA Sanctioned League this Spring DO NOT need to participate in Qualification Weekend in order to qualify for Finals Weekend.
However, If your team is looking for another opportunity to compete or improve Finals Weekend seeding, you may register for Qualification Weekend.
- Teams registering for Qualification Weekend do not need to register separately for Finals Weekend. Teams that qualify through Qualification Weekend will be automatically registered and invoiced for Finals Weekend after the event.
- Priority participation in Qualification Weekend will be given to teams not participating in a U9-U12 MSA Sanctioned League. We will communicate after registration closes to confirm acceptance.
- U9-U12 MSA Sanctioned League Teams wishing to “play up” must register for “Qualification Weekend” to qualify for “Finals Weekend”.
Please direct questions to our Director of Administration, Leah Head.
REGISTER HERE if your team IS NOT participating in a U9-U12 MSA Sanctioned League this Spring!
Teams NOT participating in a U9-U12 MSA Sanctioned League this Spring MUST participate in Qualification Weekend in order to qualify for Finals Weekend.
NOTE: All Qualification Weekend Participants that qualify for Finals Weekend will be automatically registered/invoiced for Finals Weekend after Qualification Weekend. Please direct questions to our Director of Administration, Leah Head.
What is a U9-U12 MSA Sanctioned League?
As a part of our #GROW2026 Strategic plan, we have partnered with leagues in the North, Central, and South regions of the state to place emphasis on local play for the U9-U12 ages. League participants prioritize collaborating off of the field in order to create the best possible playing environment for children to compete and GROW on the field. Interested in learning more? Check out the links below, or email our Executive Director, Chris Bentley.
What are the U9-U12 USYS Mississippi State Cup Game Formats?
U9-U10
All U9 & U10 State Cup Games will be played in the 7v7 Game Format (adhering to U.S. Soccer Player Development Initiatives).
*Teams wishing to play 9v9 may “play up” in the U11 age division. However, priority participation will be given to age-appropriate teams. We will communicate after registration closes to confirm acceptance.
*Teams wishing to “play up” must register for “Qualification Weekend” to qualify for “Finals Weekend”.
U11-U12
All U11 & U12 State Cup Games will be played in the 9v9 Game Format (adhering to U.S. Soccer Player Development Initiatives).
*Teams wishing to play 11v11 may “play up” in the U13 age division (see U13-U19 State Cup). However, priority participation will be given to age-appropriate teams. If selected/registered to “play up” in the U13 age division, your team accepts the following:
- Our State Cup Champion earns the right to represent the State of Mississippi at the USYS Southern Regional Championships (June). There, they have the opportunity to compete for a spot at the USYS National Championships (July) where they will have chance to win a USYS National Championship.
- Our State Cup Finalist earns the right to represent the State of Mississippi at the USYS Southern Presidents Cup (June). There, they will have the opportunity compete for a spot at the USYS National Presidents Cup (July) where they will have chance to win a USYS National Presidents Cup Championship.
What does U9-U12 State Cup Qualification Weekend look like?
Competition Format
Think of Qualification Weekend as a mini-league for teams not participating in a MSA Sanctioned League (*or MSA Sanctioned League Teams looking to improve seeding for Finals weekend). Each team will play a maximum of 4 games taking place over 2 days.
Qualification Weekend game results will be used to help competitively balance games on Finals Weekend.
*Priority participation in Qualification Weekend will be given to teams not participating in a U9-U12 MSA Sanctioned League.
(If Required) Seeding via Most Recent Head to Head Result
The first round of seeding will be allocated (in order of priority below) relative to the most recent head to head result in the following competitions:
- MSA Sanctioned League,
- MSA Sanctioned Tournament,
- Other
(If Required) Seeding via Blind Draw
The final rounds of seeding will be allocated via blind draw in order of priority below:
- Competitive Team,
- Rec Plus Team
What does U9-U12 State Cup Finals Weekend look like?
4-Team Brackets
There will be a maximum of four 4-team brackets for each age/gender on Finals Weekend. Each team will play a maximum of 2 games taking place on 1 day within their respective bracket (i.e., Semi-Final & Final or 3rd Place Game).
Ideally, each 4-team bracket will include one team from each of the three MSA Sanctioned Leagues and one Qualification Weekend team. When this is not possible, DOC recommendations will be used to help competitively balance games on Finals Weekend.
*If there are not enough teams to form a 4-Team Bracket, we will reach out to determine the next best option.
*“D” stands for “Development”
Seeding via U9-U12 MSA Sanctioned League
Although league standings are not always published in MSA Sanctioned Leagues, league game results will be used to help competitively balance games on Finals Weekend.
What is a U9-U12 MSA Sanctioned League?
As a part of our #GROW2026 Strategic plan, we have partnered with leagues in the North, Central, and South regions of the state to place emphasis on local play for the U9-U12 ages. League participants prioritize collaborating off of the field in order to create the best possible playing environment for children to compete and GROW on the field. Interested in learning more? Check out the links below, or email our Executive Director, Chris Bentley.
Seeding via U9-U12 State Cup Qualification Weekend
Think of Qualification Weekend as a mini-league for teams not participating in a MSA Sanctioned League (*or MSA Sanctioned League Teams looking to improve seeding for Finals weekend). Qualification Weekend game results will be used to help competitively balance games on Finals Weekend.
*Please note that priority participation in Qualification Weekend will be given to teams not participating in a U9-U12 MSA Sanctioned League.
Still have questions? Please reach out to our Director of Administration, Leah Head.
Key City Park (F.K.A. Sports Force Parks on the Mississippi), Vicksburg, MS: 255 Fisher Ferry Rd, Vicksburg, MS 39180
Park Map & Guidelines
