# 1916–17 National Challenge Cup

The 1916–17 National Challenge Cup was the fourth annual cup tournament held by the United States Football Association. On May 5, 1917, Fall River Rovers defeated Bethlehem Steel to take the title. Thomas Swords scored the game-winning goal thirty seconds into the game. The second round match on January 28 between Bay Ridge of Brooklyn and the Newark Scottish-Americans was originally awarded to Bay Ridge for non-appearance of the Scots. Despite Bay Ridge having played and won their third-round game 2–0 over New York, the Bay Ridge/Scots game was ordered replayed by the cup committee. The Scots won the replay and went on to face New York in the third round.

## Bracket

Home teams listed on top of bracket
| Second Round December 16, 1916 – March 4, 1917 | Second Round December 16, 1916 – March 4, 1917 | Second Round December 16, 1916 – March 4, 1917 | Third Round February 3, 1917 – March 31, 1917 | Third Round February 3, 1917 – March 31, 1917 | Third Round February 3, 1917 – March 31, 1917 | Quarterfinals March 3, 1917 – April 8, 1917 | Quarterfinals March 3, 1917 – April 8, 1917 | Quarterfinals March 3, 1917 – April 8, 1917 | | Semifinals April 21, 1917 | Semifinals April 21, 1917 | Semifinals April 21, 1917 | | Final May 5, 1917 | Final May 5, 1917 | Final May 5, 1917 |
| MA | Fall River Rovers | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| MA | New Bedford F.C. | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| MA | New Bedford F.C. | 1 | MA | Fall River Rovers | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | MA | Lynn Hibernians | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| MA | Lynn Hibernians | 1 | MA | Lynn Hibernians | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| MA | Lawrence Olympics | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| MA | Lawrence Olympics | 0 | | | | MA | Fall River Rovers | 6 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | RI | Howard & Bullough F.C. | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| MA | Andover United | w/o | | | | | | | RI | Howard & Bullough F.C. | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| MA | Clan McLennan | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| MA | Clan McLennan | | MA | Andover United | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | RI | Howard & Bullough F.C. | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| RI | Howard & Bullough F.C. | 0-5 | RI | Howard & Bullough F.C. | 5 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| RI | Crompton F.C. | 0-2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| RI | Crompton F.C. | 0-2 | | | | | | | | MA | Fall River Rovers | 1-4 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | PA | Disston A.A. | 1-3 | | | | |
| PA | Disston A.A. | 13 | | | | | | | | | | | PA | Disston A.A. | 1-3 | | | | |
| NJ | Jersey A.C. | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| NJ | Jersey A.C. | 0 | PA | Disston A.A. | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | CT | Bridgeport | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| CT | Bridgeport F.C. | 4 | CT | Bridgeport | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| CT | British American | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| CT | British American | 0 | | | | PA | Disston A.A. | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | NY | New York F.C. | 0 | | | | | | | | |
| PA | Putnam F.C. | 0 | | | | | | | NY | New York F.C. | 0 | | | | | | | | |
| NY | New York F.C. | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| NY | New York F.C. | 2 | NY | New York F.C. | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | NY | Scottish Americans | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| NJ | Scottish Americans | 2 | NY | Scottish Americans | 4 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| NY | Bay Ridge | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| NY | Bay Ridge | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | MA | Fall River Rovers | 1 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | PA | Bethlehem Steel | 0 |
| NJ | West Hudson A.A. | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | PA | Bethlehem Steel | 0 |
| NY | Clan MacDonald | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| NY | Clan MacDonald | 1 | NJ | West Hudson A.A. | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | PA | Bethlehem Steel | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| PA | Bethlehem Steel | 3 | PA | Bethlehem Steel | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| NY | Brooklyn Celtic | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| NY | Brooklyn Celtic | 1 | | | | PA | Bethlehem Steel | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | PA | Homestead F.C. | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| PA | Homestead F.C. | 9 | | | | | | | PA | Homestead F.C. | 1 | | | | | | | | |
| PA | Juniata PR | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| PA | Juniata PR | 2 | PA | Homestead F.C. | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | OH | White Automobile | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| OH | White Automobile | 1 | OH | White Automobile | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| OH | Cleveland Thistles | 0 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| OH | Cleveland Thistles | 0 | | | | | | | | PA | Bethlehem Steel | 6 | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | | | IL | Joliet F.C. | 0 | | | | |
| MI | Caledonia F.C. | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | IL | Joliet F.C. | 0 | | | | |
| MI | St. George F.C. | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| MI | St. George F.C. | 1 | MI | Caledonia F.C. | 2 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | MI | Detroit F.C. | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| NY | Rochester City | 0 | MI | Detroit F.C. | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| MI | Detroit F.C. | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| MI | Detroit F.C. | 1 | | | | MI | Caledonia F.C. | 0 | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | IL | Joliet F.C. | 4 | | | | | | | | |
| IL | Pullman F.C. | 1 | | | | | | | IL | Joliet F.C. | 4 | | | | | | | | |
| IL | McDuffs | 3 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
| IL | McDuffs | 3 | IL | McDuffs | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| | | | IL | Joliet F.C. | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| IL | Joliet F.C. | 2 | IL | Joliet F.C. | 6 | | | | | | | | | | | |
| IL | Bricklayers and Masons | 1 | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
(*) replay after tied match w/o walkover/forfeit victory awarded