Copa Rushmori

The Copa Rushmori is the main football competition for association football for national teams in the region of Rushmore. The competition is solely played amongst the nations of the region and is generally held once every World Cup cycle. After eleven editions, the status of Rushmore as a footballing power has made the Copa Rushmori an internationally-renowned tournament.

Overview
Rushmore is one of the strongest footballing regions in the world, although Candelaria And Marquez is the only nation in the region to have won the World Cup. The region does, however, boast two previous Baptism of Fire winners in West Zirconia and Somewhereistonia and currently has sixteen nations ranked in the top 50 in the international KPB rankings: Polar Islandstates, Queer Poco el Mono Ara, Cotdelapoms, Mytannion, Valladares, Kazzoria, Erathore, Pasarga, Swartaz, Astograth, Delaclava, Pays de Horreur, Saugeais, Civil Citizenry, Virabia, and Churchma.

To date, eleven editions of the Copa Rushmori have been held. Somewhereistonia was crowned champions of the first two editions; Isla Pilsen and Albundania, both debuting teams, won the third and fourth editions. A full list of winners, participants, and tournament results are listed below.

Unlike the World Cup, the Copa Rushmori has no qualification stage and as a general rule begins with a group stage. The group stage is then followed by a one-legged elimination knockout, beginning with eight to sixteen teams and ending with a single champion. The third place playoff was first introduced in Copa Rushmori II.

Copa Rushmori I
Main article: Copa Rushmori I The first Copa Rushmori was eventually hosted (after years of deliberation) by Nethertopia, with the competition utilising a group stage before a single knockout round to determine the finalists.

12 teams participated in Nethertopia and were split into 4 groups of three, playing each group opponent twice. The top team from each group advanced into the semi-finals to play against another group winner. The winners of the two semifinal matches, Sargossa and Somewhereistonia moved on to the to the final.

In the semifinals Sargossa pulled off a surprise 2-1 victory against pre-tournament favourites Candelaria And Marquez, whilst Somewhereistonia routed Pasarga 4-0 to dump them out of the tournament. The final seemed as though it was going to be a tight encounter after the semifinal results, but Somewhereistonia pulled off a massive 6-1 victory to be crowned champions of the first-ever Copa Rushmori.

The competition saw 27 games played and 69 goals scored with an average of 2.55 goals a game.

Copa Rushmori II
Main article: Copa Rushmori II Copa Rushmori II took place in Queer Poco el Mono Ara, where 20 teams competed. The competition followed a group stage, with the top two teams from each group proceeding to the knockout stages. The 20 teams were divided into 4 groups of 5 where the winner and runner-up of each group advanced to the quarterfinals. The losers in the semifinals played Rushmore's first ever third place play off, a game that was won by Imgoona.

The final was played in the Pocoan national stadium, Estadio de Victoria and was won by Somewhereistonia, who captured their second successive Copa Rushmori title, beating Malak Free State 1-0.

The competition saw 50 games played and a total of 147 goals scored, averaging at 2.94 goals a game.

Copa Rushmori III
Main article: Copa Rushmori III The third edition was the first jointly-hosted Copa Rushmori, with the previous championship's defeated finalists Malak sharing hosting duties with Anseriska. The number of entries grew once again, with 24 nations taking part. The 24 teams were divided across 4 groups of six, with the winner and runner up of each group advancing to the quarter finals. The title was won by the debuting Isla Pilsen who defeated the Mice of Miceland 1-0 in the final at the 80,000 seater Zivodöme.

The competition saw 68 games played and 175 goals scored, with an average of 2.57 goals a game.

Copa Rushmori IV
Main article: Copa Rushmori IV The fourth Copa Rushmori saw 20 teams travel to Logria to play in a single round-robin group stage - the first time the number of entrants decreased throughout the young history of the tournament. The top two teams from each group qualified for the knockout stages. Defending champion Isla Pilsen fell to current world number three Albundania in the semifinals; Queer Poco el Mono Ara, which had hosted Copa Rushmori II, took the other spot in the final.

Isla Pilsen scored two goals in extra time to claim third place. The final was won by Albundania by a score of 2-1.

The competition saw 48 games played and 136 goals scored, compiling an average of 2.83 goals.

Copa Rushmori V
Main article: Copa Rushmori V East Rushmore was the site of the fifth Copa tournament - specifically, Pays de Horreur and Palacios and Rodallega. A record twenty-five nations entered the tournament, which began with a single round-robin group stage. Two recent winners, Isla Pilsen and Albundania, failed to make it past the group stage, and with Somewhereistonia not having entered, a new champion was guaranteed to be crowned.

The final was won, 3-1, by Copa Rushmori I finalists Sargossa over previous finalists Queer Poco el Mono Ara.

The competition saw 66 games played and 175 goals scored, compiling an average of 2.65 goals a game.

Copa Rushmori VI
Main article: Copa Rushmori VI Continuing a recent streak of warm climates for the tournament, the sixth edition took place in Whirl Islands. For the second consecutive time, the record for most participating nations was broken, as thirty-six countries chose to send nations to the region's westernmost territory. Queer Poco el Mono Ara, which had fallen one win short of the championship in each of the last two editions, failed to advance past the single round-robin group stage; however, the last two champions (Albundania and Sargossa) each won their groups.

Debuting Nieuwe Sleeswijk pulled off a 2-1 upset over World Cup fourth-place team Polar Islandstates in the final on Navel Island.

The competition saw 72 games played and 172 goals scored, compiling an average of 2.39 goals a game.

Copa Rushmori VII
Main article: Copa Rushmori VII On the coast of Lake Branta was where the eventh edition of the Copa took place, within the nation of Saugeais. Thirty-six nations once again entered into the Copa, devoting equal time to train, playing, and sunbathing. Surprising runs by sophomores Camwood and Carmadin, both making at least the quarterfinals, while tournament veterans Queer Poco el Mono Ara coming last in their group proves that anything can and will happen in this kind of tournament.

Erathore took home the gold this time out, needing a penalty shootout to take out Continental Rushmore, who made the finals in their debut.

The competition saw 106 games played and 231 goals scored, compiling an average of 2.18 goals a game.

Copa Rushmori VIII
Main Article: Copa Rushmori VIII

Copa Rushmori IX
Main Article: Copa Rushmori IX

Copa Rushmori X
Main Article: Copa Rushmori X

Copa Rushmori XI
Main Article: Copa Rushmori XI

Copa Rushmori XII
Main Article: Copa Rushmori XII

Copa Rushmori XIII
Main Article: Copa Rushmori XIII

Copa Rushmori XIV
Main Article: Copa Rushmori XIV

Copa Rushmori XV
Main Article: Copa Rushmori XV

Tournament Appearances
Updated through Copa Rushmori 15

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