2023 Lower Island District Cup
The District Cup is the final competitive program of the Lower Island season. It is a single-elimination cup competition for Lower Island teams. All teams that have declared for Provincial “A” Cup or qualified for Island Cup have been removed from the District Cup draw.
The District Cup finals are tentatively set to be hosted by the Juan De Fuca Soccer Association. The dates for the District Cup finals will be March 11th and 12th.
Teams that advance all the way to the District Cup finals will not necessarily play on their regular game day and, in almost all cases, not at their regular start time. Final matches are scheduled throughout the weekend starting on the Saturday, from early morning until late afternoon, and then continuing on, as far as needed, into the Sunday. (Note: the U18/17 division for both boys and girls will have their finals on the Sunday, however their start times may vary.)
District Cup awards ceremonies follow every final match. The winning team will be presented with a trophy and medals for the players. The players on the losing team will receive runner-up medals. There is also a game MVP named for each team.
When teams lose in the District Cup playdowns they are eliminated from the competition and their competitive LISA season comes to an end. LISA will continue to schedule exhibition matches through to the March 11th/12th weekend for all eliminated teams where possible.
Once their District Cup play begins a team can no long make up any outstanding league games – no matter how many outstanding games that team might have. All matches scheduled for teams eliminated from the District Cup will not count towards standings. However, they are still constituted as “league games” and LISA rules, regulations, and discipline will be applied.
There must be a winner in all District Cup matches.
During the playdowns leading up to the final (i.e. “the round of 16,” the quarter-finals and semi-finals), if the score is tied at the end of regulation there will be extra time. Extra time is not sudden death. The full amount of extra time must be played no matter how many goals are scored. Extra time for those divisions that play the full 90-minute game (i.e. U17 and U18) is 2 x 15-minute halves. All other divisions play 2 x 10-minute halves.
If the score is still tied after the full extra time is played the winner of the match will be determined by a FIFA penalty shootout.
Please make sure your referees are aware that games tied at the end of regulation will go to extra time and if still tied to a FIFA penalty shootout. (The rules for the Satterford Cup playdowns were different.)
BOTH TEAMS must report their District Cup score to their score recorder. If your match went into extra time or a FIFA penalty shootout please include that information as well. For example, the score at the end of regulation, the score after extra time and, if you know it, how many goals each team scored in the penalty shootout itself as well as how many penalty kicks each team took. Please report the goals scored in a penalty shootout separately from the game score – do not add the shootout goals to the number of goals scored by the teams during regulation and extra time. And please make sure it is clear which team won the match.
Youth-to-youth permits can NOT be used for the District Cup competition.
For more information see Chapter 1 on the Rules and Regulations page attached or on the LISA website.
Note: District Cup draws of more than eight teams will start February 11/12. The quarter-finals (opening round for draws of five to eight teams) is scheduled for February 18/19 And the semi-finals (opening round for draws of three or four teams) is set for February 25/26. The Family Day weekend of February 19/20 will not be scheduled as a regular match day by LISA. Instead, it will be used as a “make-up” weekend for District Cup if needed.
Teams that draw byes for their opening round of the District Cup as well as teams that have declared for Provincial A Cup will be scheduled league games by LISA for the first round of their group’s District Cup playdowns.
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At this time of the season communication between teams, their opponents and their clubs is very important. Do not assume everybody is aware of the game they are to play each weekend. Teams should contact their opposition far enough in advance to confirm their games for each weekend.
For more information about Cup Play, see Cup Play 101 page.
