1925–26 National Challenge Cup

The 1925–26 National Challenge Cup was the annual open cup held by the United States Football Association now known as the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

History

There were 131 entrants to the tournament. Twenty-five teams (12 western and 13 eastern) were exempt from the qualifying stages because of their relative strength. These included primarily the ASL and St. Louis Soccer League teams. The remaining 106 teams played off for the seven remaining spots in the first round proper. The preliminary qualifying round featured 44 matches with 18 teams receiving byes. Canadian teams were admitted because several outfits from Essex County, Ontario were affiliated with the Michigan Soccer Association which in turn was a member of the USFA.

Eastern Division

First round

Second round

Semi-finals

Final

January 16 - New Bedford

New Bedford Whalers

5

February 20 - New Bedford

Shawsheen Indians

0

New Bedford Whalers

0

January 16 - Pawtucket

J&P Coats

1

J&P Coats

4

February 28 - Tiverton

Abbot Worsted

1

J&P Coats

5

January 17 - Tiverton

Boston SC

3

Fall River FC

3

February 14, 21 - Tiverton

Providence FC

2

Fall River FC

1-2

January 16 - Boston

Boston SC

1-3

Boston Soccer Club

2

March 21 - Providence

Fore River

1

J&P Coats

1

January 17, 24 - New York

Bethlehem Steel

3

Brooklyn Wanderers

2-3

February 21, 28 - Brooklyn

Indiana Flooring

2-2

Brooklyn Wanderers

2-1

January 17 - Bronx

New York Giants

2-5

New York Giants

9

March 14 - Brooklyn

Yonkers Thistle

1

New York Giants

1

January 17, 24 - Trenton

Bethlehem Steel

2

Trenton F.C.

3-1

February 13 - Philadelphia

Philadelphia Field Club

3-4

Philadelphia Field Club

1

January 17 - Harrison

Bethlehem Steel

2

Newark Skeeters

1

Bethlehem Steel

5

Western Division

First round

Second round

Semi-finals

Final

January 17 - Cleveland

Cleveland Thistles

1

February 7 - Cleveland

Clan MacKenzie

2

Clan MacKenzie

2a

January 24 - St. Louis

Ben Millers

0

Ben Millers

3

March 7 - St. Louis

American-Hungarians

1

Ben Millers

2

January 17 - St. Louis

Vesper Buick

0

Vesper Buick

7

February 7 - St. Louis

Royalton Stars

2

Vesper Buick

6

January 10 - St. Louis

Pants Store F.C.

2

Pants Store F.C.

2

March 28 - St. Louis

Wellston

1

Ben Millers

2

January 17 - Detroit

Canadian Club

0

Gar Wood F.C.

3

February 7, 21 - Chicago

Canadian Club

4

Canadian Club

1-6

January 17 - Chicago

Olympia F.C.

1-3

Olympia F.C.

1

March 1, 14, 21 - Chicago

Thistles F.C.

0

Canadian Club

4b

January 17/ February 7

Pullman F.C.

1

Kenosha Reds

2-0

February 14 - Chicago

Pullman F.C.

2-4

Pullman F.C.

3

January 17, 24 - Chicago

Bricklayers

1

Sparta ABA

1

Bricklayers

2

a) disqualified after protest
b) aggregate after 3 games

Final

Bethlehem Steel (PA) v Ben Millers (MO)

April 11, 1926

Bethlehem Steel (PA)	7–2	Ben Millers (MO)
6' Archie Stark 20' Archie Stark 53' Archie Stark 55' Johnny Rollo 88' Johnny Jaap 86' Whitey McDonald 35' Malcolm Goldie	(Report)	48' Benjamin Nash 70' Benjamin Nash

Ebbets Field Brooklyn, New York Attendance: 18,000 Referee: Thomas Cunningham (USA)