2012 in American soccer

Major League Soccer (Div. 1)

Updated to matches played on 18:04 EDT October 28, 2012. Source: MLSSoccer.com
Notation Key:

Updated to matches played on October 28, 2012. Source: MLSSoccer.com
Notation Key:

Updated to matches played on October 28, 2012. Source: MLSSoccer.com
Notation Key:

¹The highest ranked U.S.-based MLS club qualifies to the 2013–14 CONCACAF Champions League (placed in Pot A). The other U.S. representatives in the 2013–14 CONCACAF Champions League are:

²Toronto FC qualified for the 2012–13 CONCACAF Champions League as winners of the 2012 Canadian Championship.

North American Soccer League (Div. 2)

Updated to games played on 23 September 2012.
Source: NASL Standings
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (E) = Eliminated; (O) = Play-off winner; (A) = Advances to a further round.
Only applicable when the season is not finished:
(Q) = Qualified to the phase of tournament indicated; (TQ) = Qualified to tournament, but not yet to the particular phase indicated; (RQ) = Qualified to the relegation tournament indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.
(C) = Commissioner's Cup (regular season champion)

USL Pro (Div. 3)

Source: USL Pro official standings
Rules for classification:Points, then tiebreak: 1) Head-to-head record based on total points in League games, 2) Total wins in League games, 3) Goal difference in League games, 4) Goals scored in League games, etc.
(CC) = Commissioner's Cup (best regular season record); (A) = Advances to USL Pro Playoffs; (D) = Divisional winners.
Only applicable when the season is not finished:
(Q) = Qualified for the USL Pro Playoffs, but not yet to the particular phase indicated; (E) = Eliminated from playoff-contention.

Women's Premier Soccer League Elite

Updated to games played on 22 July 2012.
Source: WPSL Elite 2012 Standings
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (E) = Eliminated; (O) = Play-off winner; (A) = Advances to a further round.
Only applicable when the season is not finished:
(Q) = Qualified to the phase of tournament indicated; (TQ) = Qualified to tournament, but not yet to the particular phase indicated; (RQ) = Qualified to the relegation tournament indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.

U.S. Open Cup

The 99th edition of the annual national championship, the 2012 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, ran from May 15 through August 8. Sporting Kansas City defeated Seattle Sounders FC on penalty kicks 3-2 for the championship. The winner qualified for the 2013–14 CONCACAF Champions League Group Stage.

Changes for 2012

In 2012, U.S. Soccer announced that the field would expand from 40 clubs to 64 clubs, that all MLS teams would receive an automatic berth, and that all 2nd and 3rd tier professional leagues would also receive an automatic berth.

The tournament is a single game, single elimination tournament with random drawings deciding the home team (provided the home team stadium meets USSF standards) for the first round through the quarterfinals. The home team for the semi-finals and finals will be determined through competitive bidding as has been done in prior years.

Tournament format

Teams from the Premier Development League (16 berths), the United States Adult Soccer Association (9 berths), the National Premier Soccer League (6 berths), and US Club Soccer (1 berth) will enter the tournament in the first round. The winners will advance to the 2nd round where they will meet tier 3, USL Pro (10 berths) and tier 2 North American Soccer League professional teams. The second round winners will in turn meet the 16 MLS clubs in the third round. In the remaining rounds of the tournament, winners will advance in each round until the two teams meet in the finals on August 6 or 7th.

Qualification for the lower tiers of the soccer pyramid was mostly completed by April 29 and the pairings for the first two rounds were released on May 1.