The Newfoundland and Labrador Challenge Cup, known as the Johnson Insurance Challenge Cup for sponsorship reasons, is the premier senior men's soccer league in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The competition is held annually from May until September and is governed and organized by the Newfoundland and Labrador Soccer Association. It is a tier 5 league in the Canadian soccer pyramid, and as a result the winning club qualifies to compete for the Challenge Trophy as the representative for Newfoundland and Labrador in October of each year. The St. Lawrence Laurentians and Holy Cross have traditionally dominated the competition, having won a combined total of 47 Cups out of the 55 times that it has been contested.
Competition format
The Newfoundland Challenge Cup consists of Newfoundland and Labrador-based men's senior amateur soccer clubs. The teams first compete to qualify for a playoff round in a league format, usually a quadruple- or hextuple-round robin system, depending on the number of clubs competing. Normally teams play around 20 league matches in a single season. At the end of the league phase the 4 clubs with the most points qualify for the playoffs (3 points are awarded for a win, 1 point is awarded for a draw, and none for a loss). Clubs are ranked by total points, then head-to-head record, then goal differential and then goals scored. If two clubs are still tied for a playoff position then a penalty kick competition at a venue decided by the league will determine the ranking. If three or more clubs are still tied the ranking will be determined by the drawing of lots.
The playoff round of the NLCC uses a Page playoff format, which was reinstituted in 2015 after the league switched to a more typical two round format in 2011. The competition takes place at one location over Labour Day weekend each year. The winner of the final qualifies for the Canadian National Challenge Cup as the representative for Newfoundland and Labrador.
Champions
All-NFLD Series / J.V. Rabbits Trophy
1950 Holy Cross FC
1951 St. Lawrence Laurentians
1952 St. Lawrence Laurentians
1953 St. John's All-Stars
1954 Corner Brook All-Stars
1955 St. Lawrence Laurentians
1956 Corner Brook
1957 St. John's Guards
1958 St. John's Guards
1959 St. John's Guards
1960 Grand Bank GeeBees
All-NFLD Series
1961 Corner Brook Royals
1962 Corner Brook Royals
1963 St. John's St. Pat's
1964 Grand Bank GeeBees
1965 St. John's Guards
1966 St. Lawrence Laurentians
Newfoundland Labrador Cup
1967 St. Lawrence Laurentians
1968 St. Lawrence Laurentians
1969 Feildians AA of St. John's
1970 Grand Bank Gee Bees
1971 St. Lawrence Laurentians
1972 St. Lawrence Laurentians
1973 Holy Cross FC
1974 Grand Bank Gee Bees
1975 St. Lawrence Laurentians
1976 St. Lawrence Laurentians
1977 St. Lawrence Laurentians
1978 St. Lawrence Laurentians
1979 Holy Cross FC
1980 St. Lawrence Laurentians
1981 Holy Cross FC
1982 St. Lawrence Laurentians
1983 Holy Cross FC
1984 Holy Cross FC
1985 Holy Cross FC
1986 Holy Cross FC
1987 Lawn Shamrocks
1988 Holy Cross FC
1989 Holy Cross FC
1990 Burin Eagles
1991 Burin Eagles
1992 Holy Cross FC
1993 St. Lawrence Laurentians
1994 Holy Cross FC
1995 St. Lawrence Laurentians
1996 St. Lawrence Laurentians
1997 St. Lawrence Laurentians
1998 St. Lawrence Laurentians
1999 St. Lawrence Laurentians
2000 St. Lawrence Laurentians
2001 St. Lawrence Laurentians
2002 St. Lawrence Laurentians
2003 Mount Pearl FC
2004 Marystown United
2005 St. Lawrence Laurentians
2006 St. Lawrence Laurentians
2007 St. Lawrence Laurentians
2008 St. Lawrence Laurentians
2009 Holy Cross FC
2010 Holy Cross FC
2011 Holy Cross FC
2012 Holy Cross FC
2013 St. Lawrence Laurentians
2014 Holy Cross FC
2015 Holy Cross FC
2016 St. Lawrence Laurentians
2017 Holy Cross FC
2018 Holy Cross FC
2019 Holy Cross FC
2020 Holy Cross FC
2021 Feildians AA St. John's
2022 Holy Cross FC
Titles
Clubs in bold currently compete in the Challenge Cup.