The Raul Briones Cup took on more significance in 2022, meant something real in 2023 and will again transform in 2024 as SoCal Premier League’s role in the NISA Independent Cup is elevated. Started in 2011, the Raul Briones Cup has been Southern California’s top men’s amateur tournament for more than a decade and its champions are among the region's elite. “We’ve had some really good teams win the Briones Cup,” SoCal Premier League vice president Nick Peters said. “This is the tournament that real men’s soccer clubs in SoCal want to be a part of.”

The 32-team tournament features four teams in eight groups each playing three matches. The top two teams from each group advance to the Raul Briones Cup Round of 16, while the bottom two teams advance to the Brent Freeman Cup Round of 16. “This is where the tournament goes from a World Cup-style tournament to a little more of a Champions League-style tournament,” Peters said.

The Round of 16 is a single-elimination round – allowing all teams to play four tournament matches – while the winners move on to a home-and-home quarterfinal series, with aggregate score lines determining advancing teams.

Nate Steinwascher’s resigning was a massive offseason move for DCFC. *Image courtesy of Detroit City FC*

The semifinal round is again a two legs, with aggregate score winners move on to the final, scheduled for Biola University’s Al Barbour Field again this year.
“The last two finals have been broadcast live and we’re making it a bigger event every year,” Peters said. “The winner now earns a spot in the NISA Independent Cup.”

FC United Kingdom won the tournament for a third time last year, defeating Worldwide Problems FC 3-2 in the championship final on May 21, 2023. PSA Elite and Doxa Italia alternated the first four tournament titles from 2010-’13, with Chivas USA Academy U23s claiming the title in 2014.

This year, the group stages are nearly complete. Go to socal.southwestpremier.org for full details.

PAST RAUL BRIONES CUP WINNERS

22/23 – FC United Kingdom
21/22 – Pateadores Academy
20/21 – COVID (no tournament)
19/20 – COVID (no tournament)
18/19 – Buena Park FC
17/18 – FC United Kingdom
16/17 – Real Sociedad O.C.
15/16 – FC United Kingdom
14/15 – Artesia DES FC
13/14 – Chivas USA Academy U23
12/13 – Doxa Italia
11/12 – PSA Elite
10/11 – Doxa Italia
09/10 – PSA Elite

by Dennis Pope