49th Parallel Cup Comes to Racine for 2023

Racine, WI, — The United States Australian Football League (USAFL) will be hosting the 49th Parallel Cup, a series of matches between US and Canadian national representative teams. The men’s Cup will be held on Saturday, August 5th and the women’s Cup will be played two weeks later on Saturday, August 19th.  Matches will take place at Soccer Complex of Racine (SCORe) located at 9509 Dunkelow Rd, Franksville, WI 53126. The event is free and open to the public.  Coaches and players will be available for interviews throughout the day.

The first 49th Parallel Cup was played in Chicago in 1999 between the Canadian Northwind and the Revolution.  The Freedom and Northern Lights match was added in 2007.  This will mark the first year that the Cup will be played in Racine. Last year’s Cup was played in Toronto where the two US Men’s teams each came away victorious.

"We are absolutely THRILLED to host the 49th Parallel Cup in Racine!“ said Cari Greving, Director of Events & Marketing for Racine County Convention & Visitors Bureau. “I can finally come through with my promise to all those new footy fans we created when hosting Nationals in 2018 - footy is returning!

“Racine County is so excited not just to have our footy families back from across the US but also to welcome the Canadian teams here for the first time. Outside of all the normal tourism advantages of hosting the 49th Parallel Cup, things like overnight room tax revenues and increased spending for our local businesses, Racine County feels like a beloved family reunion is now set for August 2023. We fully embrace and support all footy teams and the community is humbled that we were chosen to host again.  Expect an exciting atmosphere at SCORe because we are ready!"

Doren James, USAFL Executive Director adds, “The USAFL, its players and fans are looking forward to returning to Racine. We hosted the 2015 Central Regionals and the 2018 National Championships in Racine and experienced tremendous support from the community. We are grateful for the partnership with the Racine County Convention & Visitors Bureau over the past nine years and know they will be great partners again in helping us to deliver another memorable event for our players and fans.”

What:      49th Parallel Cup – USA vs Canada
When:       Men’s Cup - August 5, Women’s Cup – August 19
Where:      Soccer Complex of Racine (SCORe) located at 9509 Dunkelow Rd, Franksville, WI
Attendance:     To attend or arrange interviews, contact Doren James, USAFL Executive Director at doren.james@usafl.com

What is Australian Football?

First, it is not rugby. Australian Football is all-encompassing involving elements of many sports, including soccer, football, basketball, and volleyball. Like soccer, players are posted at a number of positions – including forwards, wings and backs – and are allowed to kick the ball, also called the “footy,” as well as handle it with their hands. Although players have designated positions, they are free to move anywhere on the field at any point in time.

The game is played on an oval field about twice the size of an American football field. A traditional game consists of four quarters divided into 20 minutes of playing time. The game is scored by kicking the footy through goalposts at each “end” of the oval. When the ball is kicked through the middle posts the goal is worth six points. When kicked through the outer posts (on either side of the middle goal) the “behind” is worth one point.

About Racine County Convention and Visitors Bureau

Racine County Convention and Visitors Bureau is the accredited 501c-6 non-profit destination marketing organization that oversees tourism promotion and development in Racine County, Wisconsin.

Our mission is to promote Racine County as an attractive destination to enhance the local economy. We are governed by a 16-member board of directors and have a small staff and several volunteers. https://www.realracine.com/

About the United States Australian Football League

The United States Australian Football League, founded in 1997, is an amateur, grassroots sports organization dedicated to the development of Australian Football in the United States.  The USAFL is the national governing body of Australian Football in the United States and an international affiliate of the Australian Football League (AFL). The organization is focused on the promotion and awareness of Australian Football and Aussie culture. Every October, the USAFL hosts the world’s largest Australian Football tournament. For more information on the USAFL, its clubs or to learn more about the game, visit https://usafl.com/.