User:Quidster4040/sandbox/Lewis Cup

The Lewis Cup is an annual knockout soccer competition in men's domestic American soccer. Organized by the United States Soccer Federation (USSF), it is open to any club within the top three levels of the American soccer pyramid – 62 clubs in total – comprising the top level Major League Soccer, and two professional divisions beneath MLS: the North American Soccer League and the United Soccer League.

First held in 1915, it is one of the four top domestic soccer competitions in the United States, alongside the MLS Supporters' Shield, MLS Cup and U.S. Open Cup. It concludes in August, before the other two, which end in the fall.

The tournament is played over seven rounds, with single leg ties throughout, except the semi-finals. Entrants are seeded in the early rounds, and a system of byes based on league level ensures higher ranked teams enter in later rounds, and to defer the entry of teams still involved in Europe. Winners receive the EFL Cup of which there have been three designs, the current one also being the original. Winners also qualify for European football with a place in the CONCACAF SuperLiga – although this place is transferred to the highest-placed MLS team not already qualified for CONCACAF competition, should the winner also qualify for North America through other means at the end of the season. The current holders are Sporting Kansas City, who beat D.C. United 3–2 in the 2016 final to win their second Lewis Cup.