A short while ago, Protagonist Soccer did an interview with Peter Marlette Jr., the President of Buffalo Pro Soccer. In that, Marlette stated that Lakeside FC, a team he helped found, won the Tehel Cup “the oldest amateur soccer tournament in the United States…”

Dan Vaughn, editor of Protagonist and writer of that article, knows, from our time working on various soccer projects together, that I’m always going to throw a monkey wrench into superlative statements about soccer in the US. So, Dan, after years of trauma from my “Well, actually…” statements, reached out to me to fact check Marlette’s statement about the Tehel Cup.

One thing it’s helpful to wrap your head around is that knockout competitions were often named after the name of the trophy those clubs were fighting for. In 1925, when the Tehel challenge cup competition began, the clubs involved were competing for possession of the Tehel trophy itself. A knockout competition was created for that purpose.

Today, we generally prioritize the competition as “the cup” and the trophy itself is a relative afterthought. In 2025, the Tehel Cup is the competition and the trophy is a representation of that. Yes, it’s a bit pedantic, but helpful to avoid some confusion when thinking about and researching older soccer tournaments.

Tehel: The Man and The Cup

Okay, let’s get into the Tehel Cup itself. As I noted earlier, the Tehel challenge cup competition began in 1925. The cup itself was donated by the Niagara District Football Referees’ association to the Niagara Frontier International Soccer League.

The cup is almost certainly named after Andrew Tehel, one of the top referees in the U.S. during the pre-World War II era. A Hungarian immigrant, Tehel was a former goalkeeper with White Rose F.C. of Astoria, N.Y. before splitting time between Western New York and New York City as a referee. Tehel was named head referee for the final two games of the epic 1935 National Challenge Cup which saw Central Brewers of St. Louis defeat Pawtucket Rangers 7-6 on aggregate goals.

A young Andrew Tehel, top left. Image courtesy of Buffalo Soccer History Archive

Eleven teams from the First and Second Divisions of the NFISL, organized in 1922, entered the draw. First round play began on Sunday, July 19, 1925 with two matches. The final of the first Tehel challenge cup was played at Bison Baseball Stadium on Sunday, November 15. The Buffalo Rangers defeated the Frontiers of Bridgeburg, Canada 3-2 to take home the inaugural title. The Tehel challenge cup was held annually the next few years before disappearing following the 1931 season.

In August of 1938, the Inter-City Soccer League and NFISL merged to form the Buffalo and District Soccer League. In 1954, the BDSL would bring the Tehel Cup back from its quarter century of slumber. In the final, German A.C. defeated the New Americans 3-1 on Sunday, July 11 at Delaware Park. The BDSL has continued to hold Tehel Cup competitions to the present.

A century-old soccer tournament is a huge deal worth celebrating. But is the Tehel Cup really the oldest amateur soccer cup in the U.S.?

The List Goes On and On…

The answer is no.

You only have to look at the National Amateur Cup. That competition began in late 1922 with 68 teams. That season’s competition didn’t get past the quarterfinals but it returned the following season with more teams. Fleisher Yarn of Philadelphia took home the first NAC title beating Swedish American of Chicago 3-0 on April 20, 1924.

But, there are even older extant amateur soccer cups. The New Jersey Men’s Open State Cup, operated by the New Jersey Soccer Association, began in 1914 as the New Jersey State Cup. That same year the Rowland Cup, currently operated by the Maryland State Soccer Association, also kicked off.

Five years earlier, in 1909, the Peter J. Peel Challenge Cup was launched. The competition was renamed the Illinois Governor’s Cup in 1971 after the Peel Cup itself disappeared. Managed by the Illinois State Soccer Association, the competition is now simply called the Illinois State Cup.

Finally, the fall of 1903 saw the formation of the California Association Football Union around a core of California Association Football League teams. The CAFU also organized the first California Football Association Cup which began play in January of 1904. That competition became the well-known California State Cup and may still be kicking as the CSAN State Cup, administered by California Soccer Association North (the direct ancestor of the CAFU).

There are always more surprises out there in US soccer history. Both the current Missouri Amateur Cup and West Penn Cup may be continuations of cups that began in the early 20th century. And there may be more.

It’s always fun to “uncover” those US soccer superlatives. And, it’s not the job of CEOs of new pro soccer teams to be pedantic historians. But, it’s always important to use declarations of “FIRST!” or “OLDEST!” as teaching opportunities to provide the sports community with the deep history and tradition of soccer in the U.S.

- Dan Creel

Sources Used in the Writing of this Article:

“Tehel Cup Soccer.” The Buffalo Morning Express, 18 July 1925, pg. 12, https://www.newspapers.com/image/888464186. Accessed 2 May 2025.

“Hugh Bradley Says:” Clare County Cleaver (Harrison, Mich.), 20 November 1936, pg. 3, https://digmichnews.cmich.edu/?a=d&d=ClareCCC19361120-01.1.3&e=-------en-10--1--txt-txIN----------. Accessed 2 May 2025..

“Sunday’s Card of Soccer Games.” The Buffalo Evening Times, 27 June 1925, pg. 9, https://www.newspapers.com/image/494222213. Accessed 2 May 2025.

“Rangers Win in Tehel Cup Game with Frontiers.” The Buffalo Morning Express, 16 November 1925, pg. 13, https://www.newspapers.com/image/888451225. Accessed 2 May 2025. “The field was a sea of mud and combination play was impossible.”

Finn, Henry. “Soccer Slants.” Buffalo Evening News, 26 June 1928, pg. 30, https://www.newspapers.com/image/836784525. Accessed 2 May 2025. The Inter-City Soccer League was formed in 1928 as a higher-level competition of Western New York clubs than the Niagara Frontier Soccer League.

“Soccer Loops Merge, Area League Formed.” Buffalo Evening News, 29 August 1938, pg. 20, https://www.newspapers.com/image/840346301. Accessed 2 May 2025.

“German Boosters Take Title.” Buffalo Evening News, 12 July 1954, pg. 22, https://www.newspapers.com/image/867676420. Accessed 2 May 2025.