Newfoundland and Labrador Challenge Cup
| Country | Canada |
|---|---|
| Confederation | CONCACAF |
| Founded | 1967 |
| Number of teams | 7 (from 2016) |
| Level on pyramid | 5 |
| Domestic cup(s) | Canadian National Challenge Trophy |
| Current champions |
St. Lawrence (25th title) (2016) |
| Most championships |
St. Lawrence (25 titles) |
| Website | nlsa |
The Newfoundland and Labrador Challenge Cup, known as the Molson Coors Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons, is the premier senior men's soccer league in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The competition is held annually from May until September and is governed and organized by the Newfoundland and Labrador Soccer Association. It is a tier 5 league in the Canadian soccer pyramid, and as a result the winning club qualifies to compete for the Canadian Challenge Trophy as the representative for Newfoundland and Labrador in October of each year. The St. Lawrence Laurentians and Holy Cross have traditionally dominated the competition, having won a combined total of 42 Cups out of the 50 times that it has been contested.
The Newfoundland Challenge Cup consists of Newfoundland and Labrador-based men's senior amateur soccer clubs. The teams first compete to qualify for a playoff round in a league format, usually a quadruple- or hextuple-round robin system, depending on the number of clubs competing. Normally teams play around 20 league matches in a single season. At the end of the league phase the 4 clubs with the most points qualify for the playoffs (3 points are awarded for a win, 1 point is awarded for a draw, and none for a loss). Clubs are ranked by total points, then head-to-head record, then goal differential and then goals scored. If two clubs are still tied for a playoff position then a penalty kick competition at a venue decided by the league will determine the ranking. If three or more clubs are still tied the ranking will be determined by the drawing of lots.
The playoff round of the NLCC uses a Page playoff format, which was reinstituted in 2015 after the league switched to a more typical two round format in 2011. The competition takes place at one location over Labour Day weekend each year. The winner of the final qualifies for the Canadian National Challenge Cup as the representative for Newfoundland and Labrador.
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