Every year, the respective national champions of men’s and women’s collegiate soccer are determined by a single-elimination tournament at the end of the season. Held in November, they unfold over the course of four weeks and culminate in the College Cup, which includes the semi-finals and final.
The Men’s Tournament
The men’s field consists of 48 teams, with 22 earning their places by winning their respective conferences. The N.C.A.A. allows each conference to choose how it determines its champion — most use conference tournaments. The other 26 are selected by a committee, which rates teams based on performance, history in the tournament, and the strength of their schedules.
With 48 teams in the field, the top 16 are all seeded and receive first-round byes. The others are placed in the bracket according to geographical proximity by the selection committee.
Since the Division I tournament began in 1958, Saint Louis has the record for most victories with 10, followed by the University of Indiana (7 titles) and the University of Virginia (5 titles).
The Women’s Tournament
The women’s field includes 64 teams with everyone playing in the first round. Thirty of those teams earn automatic bids as conference champions and the other 34 are selected by the committee based on the same criteria as for the men’s tournament.
Since the Division I tournament’s inception in 1982, no program has been as dominant as North Carolina’s. The Tar Heels have won 19 titles, including a streak that saw them win nine in a row from 1986 to 1994.
Tournament Sites
The first four rounds take place on campuses across the country, with the higher seeds acting as hosts. The College Cup, much like the Final Four in college basketball, is hosted by a larger predetermined facility.
Television Coverage
When they are televised at all, coverage of the earlier rounds is split between various ESPN networks, Fox networks and local broadcasters. The College Cup, however, is broadcast exclusively by a combination of ESPN U and ESPN 2.