U.S. Youth Soccer Far West Regionals returning to Boise | Idaho Statesman

Boise is quickly becoming a hub for soccer.

Boise will host the U.S. Youth Soccer Far West Regionals again in 2019 and 2020, returning the 13-state youth club soccer championships to the Simplot Sports Complex.

Boise previously hosted the tournament in 2015 and 2016. The 2016 tournament marked the fifth time Boise hosted the event.

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“Boise is a perfect place to host these large events, and the Simplot Soccer Complex is a unique complex in terms of quality of fields and access,” Bill Taylor, president of the Idaho Youth Soccer Association, said in a press release.

“In the long term, the potential addition of a new downtown stadium would significantly enhance the experience for the tournament, because it would provide an opportunity to hold championship games in a beautiful new downtown complex. For those of us in the leadership of soccer for the area, the timing for the stadium proposal couldn’t be better.”

The tournament brings together boys and girls soccer club state champions from Idaho, Alaska, Hawaii, Washington, Oregon, Northern California, Southern California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico.

Winners of the regional tournament advance to the national tournament. An Idaho team won its first regional title in 2015 when the combined Boise Nationals and FC Nova girls won the U-19 division.

The Boise Convention and Visitors Bureau estimated the tournament accounted for more than 12,000 room nights in area hotels in 2016 for an economic impact of $10 million.

The owners of the Boise Hawks minor-league baseball club have proposed a joint downtown baseball/soccer stadium at the corner of Americana Boulevard and Shoreline Drive.

“Boiseans love their soccer, so having Far West return to Boise is exciting for all of us,” Boise Mayor Dave Bieter said in a press release. “Their two-year commitment will help to support our tourism, hospitality and retail sectors through this incredible event.”

This story was originally published August 18, 2017 4:14 PM.