This story was originally posted on June 7, 2017 and has been updated for the 2019 tournament.
March Madness. The Stanley Cup. The NFL Playoffs. Sports fans love tournaments. When the stakes are win or go home, the drama and excitement are constant. When the dust settles, the last team standing is victorious.
For soccer, these tournaments – or cups as they are commonly called – run in parallel with the regular season. In between league matches, clubs fight their way through the cup to be crowned champions of their country. The most unique aspect of soccer’s cup tournaments is that every club, from Sunday league amateur sides to the top professional teams, competes in the same tournament.