Appalachian FC, Asheville City SC, and Hickory FC Announce the Old North Cup Rivalry Series
A new era in Western North Carolina soccer is upon us as Appalachian FC, Asheville City SC, and Hickory FC have announced the start of a new battle for a rivalry trophy with the creation of the Old North Cup.
The Old North Cup will be up for grabs starting this season as the three clubs battle to earn bragging rights and the title of the best USL League 2 club in Western NC. The first match in the series takes place on May 13th when Asheville travels to Boone to take on App FC. In the 2026 campaign, each team will play each other twice, meaning all participating clubs will have 4 matches to claim the trophy.
The trophy will be earned based on head-to-head matchups during the season, with points earned in those matchups being the deciding factor. If two teams are tied on cup points by the conclusion of the final match, goal differential in the head-to-head matchups will be the first tiebreaker. If the two clubs are also tied on goal differential, the South Atlantic Division standings will be the final tiebreaker for the cup.
The winning club will be presented the trophy after the deciding match, with an official representative from each club being present at the trophy presentation. Furthermore, the two losing clubs will make a donation to a charity of the winning club’s choice. The Old North Cup standings will reset at the start of each season.
