2026 U.S. Open Cup

Last updated

2026 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
Tournament details
CountryUnited States
DatesMarch 17 – October 21
Teams80
Defending champions Nashville SC
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The 2026 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is the 111th edition of the U.S. Open Cup, the knockout domestic cup competition of American soccer, organized by the United States Soccer Federation. It will involve 80 teams, including 48 teams from all three professional tiers of the United States soccer league system, and 32 amateur teams in the "Open Division". The competition begins on March 17 and culminate in the final on October 21. [1]

Contents

The full format was announced on January 28, 2025. U.S. Soccer changed several elements of the contest, such as reducing the number of rounds by one, altering the qualifying requirements to ensure the highest-level professional team of a club enters the tournament as well as removing the National League qualifying track. Participation in the tournament is limited to teams that played a league season in 2025, removing new professional clubs from fielding a team. [1]

Of the 27 American clubs in Major League Soccer, 16 will participate, with teams that are playing in either the 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup or 2026 Leagues Cup. [2] Being the only Division 1 league, all eligible MLS teams will enter in the round of 32 (third round). Depending on Supporter's Cup standings, one half of the MLS first team entrants will host their first matches, while the rest will begin with an away game. Because of the rule changes for this year, only two MLS Next Pro teams will appear in the competition (Carolina Core FC and Chattanooga FC). The USL Championship will send 17 of its teams, which includes all teams entered in the 2025 USL Championship Playoffs plus the next team outside of playoff consideration (North Carolina FC is not competing due to not fielding a team this year). These times will enter the competition in the first round. USL League One will send their 13 eligible teams. Championship, League One, and Next Pro, along with the 32 Open Division teams, will enter in the first round. [1]

Due to qualifying for the 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup the winner, Nashville SC, are unable to defend their title.

Schedule

Schedule for 2026 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup [1]
RoundDraw dateMatch dayEntrantsTeams entered to date
First RoundMarch 17March 196 local qualifiers
1 National Amateur Cup champion
1 UPSL Spring Champion
1 2025 John Motta Trophy winner
8 United Premier Soccer League teams
5 National Premier Soccer League teams
10 USL League Two teams
13 USL League One teams
2 MLS Next Pro teams
17 USL Championship teams		64 teams
Second RoundMarch 31April 132 winners from First Round
Round of 32April 14April 1516 winners from Second Round
16 Major League Soccer teams		80 teams
Round of 16April 28April 2916 winners from Round of 32
QuarterfinalsMay 19May 208 winners from Round of 16
SemifinalsSeptember 15September 164 winners from Quarterfinals
FinalOctober 212 winners from Semifinals

Teams

Table

Enter in First RoundEnter in Round of 32
Open Division [1] Division IIIDivision IIDivision I
USASA/USSSA
17 teams		 NPSL/USL2
15 teams		 MLS Next Pro/USL1
15 teams		 USL Championship
17 teams		 MLS
16 teams
National Amateur Cup
UPSL Spring Champions
Local Qualifiers
  • ASC New Stars (HFA)
  • Azteca FC (CPL)
  • Badgers FC (UPSL)
  • BOHFS St. Louis (MPL)
  • CD Faialense (BSSL)
  • FC Americal CFL Spurs (UPSL)
  • Kalonji Pro-Profile (UPSL)
  • Laguna United FC (UPSL)
  • NY Renegades FC (UPSL)
  • Red Force (PFL)
  • San Ramon FC (LFC)
  • SC Vistula Garfield (APSL)
  • Southern Indiana FC (UPSL)
  • Valley 559 FC (UPSL))
  • Virginia Dream FC (VSSL)
John Motta Trophy Winner
NPSL
USL2
MLS Next Pro
USL1

    Map

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      Badgers FC
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      Red Force
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      Laredo Heat SC
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      Michigan Rangers
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      Ristozi FC
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      Tennessee Tempo FC
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      Valley 559 FC
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      Vermont Green FC
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      West Chester United SC
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      Atlanta
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      Boston
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      Chattanooga
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      Charlotte
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      Denver
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      Houston
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      Los Angeles
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      Louisville
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      NYC
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      Orlando
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      Pittsburgh
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      San Francisco Bay Area
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      St. Louis
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      Washington D.C.
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      Locations of teams in the tournament proper.
      • Red pog.svg MLS
      • Orange pog.svg USLC
      • Yellow pog.svg Division 3 (MLSNP/USL1)
      • Green pog.svg Open Division (USL2/NPSL)
      • Blue pog.svg Open Division (USASA/USSSA)
      • Purple pog.svg Multiple Teams

      Metro areas with multiple teams:

      Number of teams by state

      A total of 34 states and D.C. were represented by clubs in the U.S. Open Cup this year.

      States NumberTeams
      Flag of California.svg California9 AV Alta FC, El Farolito SC, Laguna United FC, Orange County SC, Sacramento Republic FC, San Jose Earthquakes, San Ramon FC, Ventura County Fusion, Valley 559 FC
      Flag of Texas.svg Texas6ASC New Stars, Austin FC, El Paso Locomotive FC, Houston Dynamo FC, Laredo Heat SC, San Antonio FC
      Flag of Florida.svg Florida5 Orlando City SC, FC Naples, Badgers FC, Red Force, FC America CFL Spurs
      Flag of North Carolina.svg North Carolina Asheville City SC, Carolina Core FC, Charlotte FC, Charlotte Independence, Hickory FC
      Flag of New York.svg New York4 New York City FC, Westchester SC, NY Renegades FC, Flower City Union
      Flag of Tennessee.svg Tennessee One Knoxville SC, Tennessee Tempo FC, Chattanooga FC, Chattanooga Red Wolves SC
      Flag of Virginia.svg Virginia Loudoun United FC, Virginia Dream FC, Northern Virginia FC, Richmond Kickers
      Flag of Colorado.svg Colorado3 Colorado Rapids, Colorado Springs Switchbacks, Azteca FC
      Flag of Georgia (U.S. state).svg Georgia (U.S. state) Atlanta United FC, South Georgia Tormenta FC, Kalonji Pro-Profile
      Flag of Kentucky.svg Kentucky Louisville City FC, Lexington SC, Southern Indiana FC
      Flag of Michigan.svg Michigan Detroit City FC, Flint City Bucks, Michigan Rangers
      Flag of New Jersey.svg New Jersey New York Red Bulls, FC Motown, SC Vistula Garfield
      Flag of Pennsylvania.svg Pennsylvania Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, Steel City FC, West Chester United SC
      Flag of Indiana.svg Indiana2 Indy Eleven, Southern Indiana FC
      Flag of Massachusetts.svg Massachusetts New England Revolution, CD Faialense
      Flag of Missouri.svg Missouri St. Louis City SC, BOHFS St. Louis
      Flag of South Carolina.svg South Carolina Charleston Battery, Greenville Triumph SC
      Flag of Arizona.svg Arizona1 Phoenix Rising FC
      Flag of Arkansas.svg Arkansas Little Rock Rangers
      Flag of Connecticut.svg Connecticut Hartford Athletic
      Flag of Illinois.svg Illinois Chicago Fire
      Flag of Iowa.svg Iowa Des Moines Menace
      Flag of Kansas.svg Kansas Sporting Kansas City
      Flag of Maine.svg Maine Portland Hearts of Pine
      Flag of Maryland.svg MarylandRistozi FC
      Flag of Minnesota.svg Minnesota Minnesota United FC
      Flag of Nebraska.svg Nebraska Union Omaha
      Flag of New Mexico.svg New Mexico New Mexico United
      Flag of Ohio.svg Ohio Columbus Crew
      Flag of Oklahoma.svg Oklahoma FC Tulsa
      Flag of Rhode Island.svg Rhode Island Rhode Island FC
      Flag of Vermont.svg Vermont Vermont Green FC
      Flag of Washington.svg Washington Spokane Velocity FC
      Flag of Washington, D.C.svg Washington D.C. DC United
      Flag of Wisconsin.svg Wisconsin Forward Madison FC

      Open Cup debuts

      26 teams made their Open Cup debuts in the 2026 tournament.

      Broadcasting

      As part of the second year of a two-year deal with U.S. Soccer, CBS Sports will broadcast games on Paramount+, with select games on the CBS Sports Golazo Network and CBS Sports Network. [1]

      1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Format, Schedule and Participating Teams Finalized for 2026 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup" (Press release). U.S. Soccer. December 4, 2025. Retrieved December 11, 2025.
      2. ↑ Ashton, Alex (December 4, 2025). "US Open Cup Scales Back for 2026" . Beyond the 90'. Retrieved January 28, 2025.
      3. ↑ Battista, Michael (July 27, 2025). "2025 National Amateur Cup Final: West Chester United's late OT winner books spot in 2026 US Open Cup". TheCup.us. Retrieved December 11, 2025.
      4. ↑ Padilla, Kathryne (August 11, 2025). "Dominic Oduro's late goal gives Tennessee Tempo UPSL spring title, spot in 2026 US Open Cup". TheCup.us. Retrieved December 11, 2025.
      5. 1 2 3 "Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Tournament Kicks Off Today; Increased Investment Leads to Record Purse of $1 Million". United States Soccer Federation. March 18, 2025. Retrieved March 18, 2025.
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