The Mainland Cup was a knock-out cup competition for soccer clubs in the Canadian province of British Columbia. The tournament served as the de facto championship for clubs in the province from 1909 to 1952.[1]
The Mainland Challenge Cup was founded in 1909 and was contested by clubs in Vancouver and the Lower Mainland region.[1] The Mainland Cup trophy was donated in 1914 by Vancouver legislator William Bowser, who would go on to serve as Premier from 1915 to 1916.[1] The trophy later disappeared, but was recovered and is displayed at the BC Sports Hall of Fame; at one point during its disappearance, the trophy had been used as a garden planter.[1]
The cup was originally played by four teams from the B.C. First Division,[2] but was later expanded to include extra rounds and teams from the Second Division.[3]
In October 1952, the Pacific Coast Soccer League announced that it would have its teams compete in a new tournament that would replace the Mainland Cup.[5]
