# 1949 National Challenge Cup

The 1949 National Challenge Cup was the largest soccer tournament in the United States in 1949. The four St. Louis Soccer League teams withdrew from the competition citing "a succession of unpleasant experiences connected with the playing of the National Challenge Cup." The St.L league teams were upset about financial losses totaling $2300 from the previous season's tournament. The announcement of the withdrawal came a week and a half after Brookhattan-Galicia stuck Simpkins with a $1550 airline bill following the 1948 championship game hosted by the Simpkins. The remaining St. Louis representatives were the four amateur Municipal League entrants. With the defending champions out of the running Morgan Strasser stepped in as contenders by winning their way to the final four. Despite losing the first legs in both the semifinal and final the Morgans pulled out 4-3 aggregate wins to become 1949 U.S. champions.

## Eastern Division

| Round of 16 | Round of 16 | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | Final | Final |
| January 23 | January 23 | | | | | |
| Brooklyn Hispano | 1 | | | | | |
| Brooklyn Hispano | 1 | February 13 | February 13 | | | | |
| Segura | 0 | February 13 | February 13 | | | |
| Segura | 0 | Brooklyn Hispano | 1 | | | |
| | | Newark Germans | 0 | | | |
| Kearny Celtic | 2 | Newark Germans | 0 | | | |
| Kearny Celtic | 2 | | | | March 20 | March 20 | |
| Newark Germans | 3 | | | | March 20 | March 20 |
| Newark Germans | 3 | | | | Brooklyn Hispano | 1 |
| | | | | | Philadelphia Nationals | 2 |
| Philadelphia Nationals | 3 | | | | Philadelphia Nationals | 2 |
| Philadelphia Nationals | 3 | March 6 | March 6 | | | | |
| Kensington Quoits | 0 | March 6 | March 6 | | | |
| Kensington Quoits | 0 | Philadelphia Nationals | 3 | | | |
| | | Elizabeth S.C. | 2 | | | |
| Elizabeth S.C. | 4 | Elizabeth S.C. | 2 | | | |
| Elizabeth S.C. | 4 | | | | | | April 24 | April 24 |
| Trenton Americans | 2 | | | | | | April 24 | April 24 |
| Trenton Americans | 2 | | | | | | Philadelphia Nationals | 5 |
| February 13 | February 13 | | | | | | | Philadelphia Nationals | 5 |
| February 13 | February 13 | | | | | | New York SC | 1 |
| S.C. Eintracht | 4 | | | | | | New York SC | 1 |
| Brooklyn Hakoah | 0 | | | | | | | |
| Brooklyn Hakoah | 0 | S.C. Eintracht | 1 | | | | | |
| February 13, 20 | February 13, 20 | | S.C. Eintracht | 1 | | | | | |
| February 13, 20 | February 13, 20 | New York SC | 2 | | | | | |
| Brookhattan | 2-0 | New York SC | 2 | | | | | |
| New York SC | 2-1 | | | | | | | |
| New York SC | 2-1 | | | | New York SC | 3 | | |
| | | | | | Gremio Lusitano | 1 |
| New Bedford | 1 | | | | Gremio Lusitano | 1 |
| New Bedford | 1 | March 13 | March 13 | | | | |
| Ponta Delgada | 2 | March 13 | March 13 | | | |
| Ponta Delgada | 2 | Ponta Delgada | 0 | | | |
| | | Gremio Lusitano | 2 | | | |
| Lincolns | 1-1 | Gremio Lusitano | 2 | | | |
| Gremio Lusitano | 1-2 | | | | | |

## Western Division

| Round of 16 | Round of 16 | Quarter-finals | Quarter-finals | | Semi-finals | Semi-finals | | Final | Final |
| February 27 | February 27 | | | | | | |
| Chicago Vikings | 6 | | | | | | |
| Chicago Vikings | 6 | March 27 | March 27 | | | | | |
| GIAC Maroons | 3 | March 27 | March 27 | | | | |
| GIAC Maroons | 3 | Chicago Vikings | 0 | | | | |
| February 27/March 13 | February 27/March 13 | | Chicago Vikings | 0 | | | | |
| February 27/March 13 | February 27/March 13 | Polish American | 2 | | | | |
| Chicago Slovak | 2-1 | Polish American | 2 | | | | |
| Chicago Slovak | 2-1 | | | | April 10 - Chicago | April 10 - Chicago | | |
| Polish American | 2-2 | | | | April 10 - Chicago | April 10 - Chicago | |
| Polish American | 2-2 | | | | Polish American | 5 | |
| | | | | | Zenthoefer Furs | 1 | |
| Alpine Sportswear | | | | | Zenthoefer Furs | 1 | |
| Alpine Sportswear | | March 26 | March 26 | | | | | |
| bye | | March 26 | March 26 | | | | |
| bye | | Alpine Sportswear | 0 | | | | |
| | | Zenthoefer Furs | 5 | | | | |
| Plaza Amusement | 0 | Zenthoefer Furs | 5 | | | | |
| Plaza Amusement | 0 | | | | | | | April 24/May 8 | April 24/May 8 |
| Zenthoefer Furs | 4 | | | | | | | April 24/May 8 | April 24/May 8 |
| Zenthoefer Furs | 4 | | | | | | | Polish American | 3-0 |
| | | | | | | | | Morgan SC | 2-2 |
| Rochester Thistles | 3 | | | | | | | Morgan SC | 2-2 |
| Rochester Thistles | 3 | February 20 | February 20 | | | | | | |
| Lakesiders | 1 | February 20 | February 20 | | | | | | |
| Lakesiders | 1 | Rochester Thistles | 1 | | | | | | |
| | | Morgan SC | 4 | | | | | | |
| Morgan SC | 3 | Morgan SC | 4 | | | | | | |
| Castle Shannon 2 | 2 | | | | | | | | |
| Castle Shannon 2 | 2 | | | | Morgan SC | 3 | | | |
| February 13 | February 13 | | | | | Morgan SC | 3 | | |
| February 13 | February 13 | | | | Cecil French | 0 | |
| West Newton Moose | 4 | | | | Cecil French | 0 | |
| West Newton Moose | 4 | March 6 | March 6 | | | | | |
| Moon Run | 3 | March 6 | March 6 | | | | |
| Moon Run | 3 | West Newton Moose | 1 | | | | |
| February 13 | February 13 | | West Newton Moose | 1 | | | | |
| February 13 | February 13 | Cecil French | 3 | | | | |
| Castle Shannon 1 | 0 | Cecil French | 3 | | | | |
| Cecil French | 2 | | | | | | |