Regardless of sport, most college games -- except for the annual December football classic between Army West Point and the US Naval Academy at Annapolis -- are played on campus.
Yet the allure of playing on a Major League Soccer pitch has proven too tempting to resist, and beginning this series at Talen Energy Stadium, home of Philadelphia Union in 2012. On October 11, the Black Knights and Midshipmen will battle once again in Army-Navy Cup VIII, on the banks of the Delaware River.
For the past five years, Army-Navy Cup has catapulted this event to be among the top three collegiate soccer events in the nation -- twice breaking the 10,000 mark -- and this year looking to get back over that mark. It is #1 for attendance in collegiate soccer east of the Mississippi River.
With global technology, engineering and science leader Leidos as the lead sponsor, this event attracts a diverse crowd of military leaders, local businesses, veterans groups, with schools and civic groups taking advantage of seminars led by the Travis Manion Foundation.
It’s the combination of pageantry, passion and patriotism that makes this event so special. Hundreds of Cadets and Midshipmen are on site, interacting with fans on Toyota Plaza prior to the match. Local recruiters also participate, so if anyone has a question about a potential career in the military, this is the place to learn all about it in a fun and festive environment. And the plaza is always fun at Talen Energy Stadium, with all kinds of interactive, fun, soccer-related games to play leading up the the match itself.
There are many new initiatives that are in the works, but nothing definitive yet, so we invite you to return to this site for updates and ticket information. Same too for the announcement of the actual date Army-Navy Cup VIII will be played.
Army West Point leads this series of Army-Navy Cup battles 3-2-2, with all three wins and a draw coming in the last four years.
