REAL MONARCHS TO HOST SECOND ANNUAL WASATCH WINTER CUP
2019 USL Championship Final Rematch on Deck as Monarchs Host Louisville City FC in Preseason Tournament; Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC and Union Omaha Round Out Four-Team Field
HERRIMAN, Utah – (Wednesday, January 15, 2020) – Real Monarchs today announced the full schedule for the second annual Wasatch Winter Cup hosted at the vaunted Zions Bank Training Center in Herriman, Utah. Together with Louisville City FC, Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC and USL League One expansion side Union Omaha, the Monarchs will host the All-USL preseason tournament ahead of the club’s sixth season in the USL Championship.
“We are excited to be hosting the Wasatch Winter Cup again here in Herriman with three very well prepared and well coached teams,” said Real Monarchs Assistant General Manager
Tim Weaver
. “Louisville, Colorado Springs and Omaha will all provide excellent competition for the Monarchs and one another, as we prepare to defend the USL league championship. We are privileged to have such world-class facilities and are honored that these clubs have agreed to come here to prepare for their respective seasons. We look forward to welcoming each team and hosting them in what is sure to be an entertaining and world-class preseason tournament.”
The Monarchs will welcome clubs to Herriman for matches beginning Sunday, February 16, with the tournament running through Saturday, February 22. All matchdays will be double-headers and are scheduled to be played inside Zions Bank Stadium, pending inclement weather. If inclement weather occurs, matches will be played inside the Zions Bank Training Center which boasts over 200,000 sq. feet of playing surface across two fields. Matches will be played on February 16, 19 and 22. Preseason camp will officially commence for the Monarchs on January 25 with training sessions being held in Herriman.
All Wasatch Winter Cup matches will be free and open to the public.
The preseason tournament is highlighted by a high-profile rematch of the 2019 USL Championship Final that saw the Monarchs claim a 3-1 victory over then back-to-back champion Louisville City FC on November 17. By topping Louisville in Louisville, the Monarchs became the first team to claim victory in the Final away from home and end the host’s impressive two-year run atop the Championship that saw Louisville claim the Championship Trophy in 2017 and 2018.
After the conclusion of the Wasatch Winter Cup, the Monarchs will cap preseason on February 29 against Sacramento Republic FC at Papa Murphy’s Park in Sacramento, California.
Real Monarchs 2020 Preseason (Subject to change; Wasatch Winter Cup matches initalics)
January 25 – Players Report/Training begins
February 16 – Real Monarchs v. Union Omaha – 5:00p MT
Switchbacks FC v. Louisville City FC – 7:00p MT
February 19 – Real Monarchs v. Switchbacks FC – 10:00a MT
Union Omaha v. Louisville City FC – 1:00a MT
February 22 – Real Monarchs v. Louisville City FC – 9:00a MT
Union Omaha v. Switchbacks FC – 11:30a MT
February 29 – Real Monarchs at Sacramento Republic FC - TBD
The Monarchs will begin its USL Championship Title defense on March 7 at San Antonio before opening the home portion of its schedule on March 14 against regular season title holder and Four-Corners rival Phoenix Rising FC. All matches will be carried LIVE on ESPN+ and the KSL TV app while Real Monarchs season tickets are now available and information regarding tickets can be found here: RealMonarchs.com/tickets.
Media members looking to attend Wasatch Winter Cup preseason matches at Zions Bank Real Academy are asked to RSVP to Real Salt Lake Senior Manager of Communications Taran Meyer via email at tmeyer@rsl.com.
