LIVONIA, MI (April 29th, 2022) - Livonia City FC is excited to announce the inaugural Mackinac Island Cup, where LCFC’s Men’s team will face off against the newly established Upper Peninsula FC on Saturday, August 27th at 7 PM. LCFC players and staff will arrive on the island the day before and will use the entire weekend as a training camp setting in preparation for Fall friendlies and 2023 US Open Cup qualifying.
The historic island was first settled in 1671 and was officially incorporated as a city in March 1900. Today, the island is arguably one of the most popular, if not most popular, tourist destinations in the state. Mackinac Island is known for its fudge shops, Fort Mackinac (a former British and American military outpost), and most notably, as one of the few cities in the country that prohibit motor vehicles (aside from city emergency vehicles).
Along with the match, Livonia City will be treated to a full immersion in the island’s history and activities throughout the weekend including a tour of Fort Mackinac, getting a glimpse into how the world-famous Mackinac Island Fudge is made, a training session with the island’s High School team, and much more. Players and staff from Livonia City will stay at the historic Windermere Hotel which has been in operation since 1904.
For Upper Peninsula FC, this will provide a great platform for the club, having previously hosted tournaments in past, but this will be the first occasion where they welcome an established club from a different city. UPFC was founded by Robert Chambers, who has called Mackinac Island his entire life and whose extended family plays a major role in everyday life on the island. Including the ownership of Windermere Hotel and Doud’s Market, which has been operating since 1884, making it America’s oldest family-owned grocery store.
“I couldn’t be more excited for this incredibly unique opportunity for our club, UPFC, and the island.” said, LCFC Vice President, Ben Rode. “Robert and I connected back in October about UPFC and our conversation immediately went to the idea of establishing an end of Summer cup. We’re so proud to be part of this inaugural event, as we know this is a unique experience for any club in the lower leagues of soccer in the US and we hope to continue it in the future.”
Robert had this to add “While growing up on the island, soccer has always played a significant role in my life. I began competing against our international workers at a young age and the game only grew on me from there. There is nothing like the friendships made in this sport. Hosting Livonia City FC is going to be a great opportunity to bring our community together for a great cause.
Upper Peninsula Football club is made up of a combination of local and international athletes who all reside and work on Mackinac Island for our busy season in the Spring, Summer, and Fall. Our goal is to host an annual charity match with LCFC with the hope of raising money for our High School Athletic Department.
What started as an idea between friends who all share a passion for the game has become a reality and we couldn’t be more excited. The first annual Mackinac Island Cup wouldn’t be possible without the help from Livonia City FC, our sponsors, and our community.”
To learn more about Mackinac Island and its history, you can visit the island’s tourism bureau website: mackinacisland.org.
Stay tuned for more information in the coming months, as we’ll share details on the cup, the weekend schedule, and more!
