2016 Schwan’s USA CUP will welcome a record 1,178 teams from 19 states and 19 countries

BLAINE, Minnesota (July 8, 2016) – The final count is in, and the 32nd Schwan’s USA CUP, coming up July 15-23, will be the largest ever. The final team count shows 1,178 teams, an increase of 25 over last year’s record number. The attending teams will represent 19 countries and 19 states.

The tournament, which is the largest in the Western Hemisphere, is held on the 54 playing fields at the National Sports Center in Blaine, Minn.

The Schwan’s USA CUP staff markets the tournament on a year-round basis internationally and across the U.S. In the past two years, USA CUP staff members have visited China, Iceland, Colombia, Ecuador, Brazil, Mexico, Spain, Portugal, as well as numerous U.S. states.

“As hard as our marketing staff works, our best representatives are the teams themselves,” said Tournament Director Jen Een. “They take their experiences home with them and spread the word about the high quality experience they had at the tournament. Word-of-mouth is a powerful marketing tool.”

Here is the breakdown of teams attending this year:

19 countries: Argentina, Aruba, Brazil, Canada, Cayman Islands, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Haiti, Iceland, Japan, Mexico, Norway, Panama, Puerto Rico, Sweden, Uganda, and United States.

19 states: Alaska, California, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

4 Canadian provinces: Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario, and Saskatchewan.

Minnesotan teams from 84 different communities: Albertville, Andover, Anoka, Apple Valley, Arden Hills, Blaine, Bloomington, Brainerd, Brooklyn Park, Burnsville, Byron, Champlin, Chanhassen, Chaska, Chisago Lakes, Circle Pines, Cloquet, Columbia Heights, Coon Rapids, Cottage Grove, Delano, Duluth, Eagan, East Bethel, Eden Prairie, Edina, Elk River, Farmington, Forest Lake, Fridley, Golden Valley, Ham Lake, Hastings, Hermantown, Hopkins, Inver Grove Heights, Lakeville, Lindstrom, Lino Lakes, Mahtomedi, Mankato, Maple Grove, Maplewood, Mendota Heights, Minneapolis, Minnetonka, Monticello, Mound, Mounds View, New Brighton, New Hope, New Prague, North Oaks, Oak Grove, Orono, Otsego, Owatonna, Pine Island, Plymouth, Princeton, Prior Lake, Ramsey, Richfield, Rochester, Rogers, Rosemount, Roseville, St. Anthony, St. Cloud, St. Francis, St. Louis Park, St. Michael, St. Paul, Shakopee, Shoreview, Spring Lake Park, Stillwater, Two Harbors, Waconia, Wayzata, West St. Paul, White Bear Lake, Woodbury, Wyoming, and Zimmerman.

The international diversity doesn’t end with the teams. The referee corps will hail from 12 foreign countries and 15 different states. International officials are coming from Aruba, Brazil, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Great Britain, Haiti, Jamaica, Italy, Mexico, Netherlands, and Portugal. U.S. refs hail from the following states: Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, Ohio, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin. The corps of 550 referees will include six FIFA referees, the highest level of international soccer officiating.

About Schwan’s USA CUP

The 32nd annual Schwan’s USA CUP will be held at the National Sports Center in Blaine, Minnesota, July 15-23, 2016.

In 2015 Schwan’s USA CUP featured 1,153 teams, representing 16 countries and 19 states. It is the largest youth soccer tournament in the Western Hemisphere. With an out-of-state economic impact of over $32 million, Schwan’s USA CUP is Minnesota’s largest annual out-of-state tourism event.

The tournament is unique as the only tournament of its size in the world that holds all its games on a single contiguous campus. It’s also known for its ambitious program of off-the-field activities that include an Olympic-style opening ceremony, a daily video show, live webcasting of selected games, social and educational activities for the players and their families, and tours to major Twin Cities tourist destinations.

About the National Sports Center:

The National Sports Center (NSC) is Minnesota’s premier amateur sports destination, hosting nearly 300 events annually, and welcoming over 42 million visitors since its opening in 1990. The NSC generates over $47 million in annual economic impact.

Components of the facility include a 690-acre campus located in Blaine, Minnesota, the eight-sheet Schwan Super Rink, a soccer stadium which is home to the Minnesota United FC professional soccer team, the Welcome Center meeting and convention building, the Victory Links golf course, an indoor Sports Hall with a FieldTurf field, a residence hall, and 54 outdoor natural grass multiuse fields.