OFFICIAL RELEASE

EAST LANSING — Lansing United’s bid to host the NPSL’s Midwest Region Playoffs was accepted by the league today.

The East Lansing Soccer Complex will be host to a four-team tournament including the three conference champions and a fourth wildcard team.

“As an inaugural owner and playoff participant, Lansing United is excited to be able to host the Midwest Region Playoffs,” owner Jeremy Sampson said. “This is an amazing opportunity for our fans to continue to see their team compete and a chance for soccer in Mid-Michigan to continue its growth. I would like to thank the city of East Lansing and Greater Lansing Sports Authority for assisting us in making this event possible in mid-Michigan.”

Lansing United (8-2-4) won the Great Lakes West Conference after a 2-2 tie against Detroit City FC on Sunday at DeMartin Stadium. United finished with 28 points, while Detroit City finished with 27 points after each gained an additional point Sunday afternoon. The Central Conference champion Quad City Eagles (7-1-2) and Great Lakes East champions Fort Pitt Regiment (6-5-3) will represent their conferences. The Minnesota United FC Reserves (6-2-2) qualified as the wildcard team.

The three-game tournament will take place on Saturday, July 19 and Sunday, July 20. Two semifinal games will take place on Saturday. Fort Pitt will face Quad City in the first semifinal at 4 p.m. Lansing United will meet Minnesota United Reserves in the second semifinal at 7:30 p.m.

The winners of the two semifinal games will move on to a 5 p.m. final on Sunday. The winner will represent the Midwest Region against the winners of the South, West and Northeast Regions in the NPSL final-four tournament.

Tickets will be $10 for admittance to both games Saturday, or $10 for the final alone on Sunday. A $15 weekend pass, which allows access to all three games, will also be available. Children 12 and under will be $7 per day, or $10 for a weekend pass. Tickets will only be sold at the stadium on game days.

The NPSL is a national league that operates in the 4th Division of the U.S. Soccer pyramid. NPSL teams are eligible to participate in the U.S. Open Cup through their affiliation with the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) and the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA). The NPSL is the fastest-growing national soccer league in North America, operating in 80+ markets across the country. Two Major League Soccer (MLS) clubs (D.C. United and the New York Red Bulls) and four North American Soccer League (NASL) clubs (Minnesota United, Carolina Railhawks, Atlanta Silverbacks, Oklahoma City FC) operate teams in the NPSL. Mitre USA recently signed a multi-year agreement to become the league’s Official Match Ball Sponsor.