Reduction of clubs from below Major League Soccer for this edition
Atlanta, GA- The U.S. Soccer Federation has announced that it has made changes to the format for the 2026 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Because the FIFA World Cup will be in the United States, along with Canada and Mexico, they have decided to reduce the number of professional spots for next season’s edition. While many believe this is a mistake, the reason to do so is a sensible one.
One round less than before
Due to the FIFA World Cup this upcoming summer, this tournament, normally eight rounds, has been reduced to seven as all professional leagues will shut down as they know all eyes will be on the big matches across the North Zone of CONCACAF here, Canada, and Mexico. That means the number of clubs in the professional ranks in the USL Championship will only have 13 clubs that have made the playoffs this past season enter the tournament next season.
No matches in June and July
The schedule has been released very early for next year’s edition, as the earlier rounds have been condensed from March through May. Avoiding interference with the FIFA World Cup itself, there will be no matches scheduled for the summer months as the Semi-Finals will be in September and the Final in October.
2026 U.S. OPEN CUP SCHEDULE
FIRST ROUND: Tuesday, March 17th through Thursday, March 19th
SECOND ROUND: Tuesday, March 31st & Wednesday, April 1st
THIRD ROUND DRAW: Thursday, April 2nd
THIRD ROUND/ROUND OF 32: Tuesday, April 14th & Wednesday, April 15th
FOURTH ROUND/ROUND OF 16: Tuesday, April 28th & Wednesday, April 29th
QUARTERFINALS: Tuesday, May 19th & Wednesday, May 20th
SEMI-FINALS: Tuesday, September 15th & Wednesday, September 16th
U.S. OPEN CUP FINAL: Wednesday, October 21st
Expansion sides will not participate
With both the USL Championship & USL League One bringing in new clubs into a new season, these clubs will not be eligible to play for this edition.
Clubs that have qualified for 2026
MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER:
Clubs not qualified for the CONCACAF Champions Cup will enter the U.S. Open Cup
ATLANTA UNITED
AUSTIN FC
CHARLOTTE FC
CHICAGO FIRE
COLORADO RAPIDS
COLUMBUS CREW
D.C. UNITED
HOUSTON DYNAMO
MINNESOTA UNITED FC
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION
NEW YORK CITY FC
NEW YORK RED BULLS
ORLANDO CITY
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES
ST. LOUIS CITY SC
SPORTING KANSAS CITY
USL CHAMPIONSHIP:
Clubs have qualified from the USL Championship playoffs. With North Carolina FC shutting down, Indy Eleven will take their place. To keep the field even, the USL Championship is allowed to have 17 clubs, so Lexington SC will have the next best points to take that position.
CHARLESTON BATTERY
COLORADO SPRINGS SWITCHBACKS
DETROIT CITY FC
EL PASO LOCOMOTIVE
FC TULSA
HARTFORD ATHLETIC
INDY ELEVEN
LEXINGTON SC
LOUDOUN UNITED FC
LOUISVILLE CITY
NEW MEXICO UNITED
ORANGE COUNTY SC
PHOENIX RISING FC
PITTSBURGH RIVERHOUNDS (2025 USL CHAMPIONSHIP LEAGUE WINNERS)
RHODE ISLAND FC
SACRAMENTO REPUBLIC FC
SAN ANTONIO FC
MLS NEXT PRO:
The only teams entering from MLS Next Pro will be the two non-MLS Two Teams, as the rest of the league will not participate based on the one club, one entry principle.
CAROLINA CORE
CHATTANOOGA FC
USL LEAGUE ONE:
With Texoma FC returning to USL League Two for the 2026 season, the 13 remaining clubs will enter the U.S. Open Cup
AV ALTA FC
CHARLOTTE INDEPENDENCE
CHATTANOOGA RED WOLVES
FC NAPLES
FORWARD MADISON FC
GREENVILLE TRIUMPH SC
ONE KNOXVILLE SC (2025 USL LEAGUE ONE CHAMPIONS)
PORTLAND HEARTS OF PINE
RICHMOND KICKERS
SOUTH GEORGIA TORMENTA
SPOKANE VELOCITY
UNION OMAHA
WESTCHESTER SC
U.S. OPEN CUP AMATEUR QUALIFIED CLUBS:
ASC NEW STARS, HOUSTON, TX
AZTECA FC, DENVER, CO
BADGERS FC, BOYNTON BEACH, FL
BOHFS STL, ST. LOUIS, MO
CD FAIALENSE, WINTHROP, MA
FC AMERICA CFL SPURS, ORLANDO, FL
KALONJI PRO-PROFILE, DACULA, GA
LAUGNA UNITED FC, LAGUNA NIGUEL, CA
NY RENEGADES FC, JERICHO, NY
RED FORCE FC, MIAMI FC
SAN RAMON FC, SAN RAMON, CA
SC VISTULA GARFIELD, GARFIELD, NJ
SOUTHERN INDIANA FC, CORYDON, IN
STEEL CITY FC, PITTSBURGH, PA
VALLEY 559 FC, FRESNO, CA
VIRGINIA DREAM FC, ARLINGTON, VA
EARNED BYE TO FIRST ROUND:
USL LEAGUE TWO
ASHVILLE CITY SC, ASHVILLE, NC
DES MOINES MENACE, DES MOINES IA
FC MOTOWN, MORRISTOWN, NJ
FLINT CITY BUCKS, FLINT, MI
LAREDO HEAT, LAREDO, TX
LITTLE ROCK RANGERS, LITTLE ROCK, AR
NOVA FC (NORTHERN VIRGINIA FC), LEESBURG, VA
VENTURA COUNTY FUSION, VENTURA, CA
VERMONT GREEN, BURLINGTON, VT (2025 USL LEAGUE TWO CHAMPIONS)
NATIONAL PREMIER SOCCER LEAGUE:
EL FAROLITO, SAN FRANCISCO, CA (2025 INAUGURAL JOHN MOTTA TROPHY WINNER)
FLOWER CITY UNION, ROCHESTER, NY
HICKORY FC, HICKORY, NC (2025 NPSL CHAMPIONS)
MICHIGAN RANGERS, HUDSONVILLE, MI
RISTOZI FC, BALTIMORE, MD
WEST CHESTER UNITED, WEST CHESTER, PA (2025 USASA NATIONAL AMATEUR CUP CHAMPIONS)
UNITED PREMIER SOCCER LEAGUE:
The 2025 Spring Season Champions will be the lone automatic bid to enter the U.S. Open Cup from the UPSL
TENNESSEE TIEMPO, MURFREESBORO, TN
Personal thoughts
While everyone is upset about the changes to this edition of the U.S. Open Cup, I’m not. To me, this is a special year for the sport in the United States. U.S. Soccer wants eyes on its cup competition. When the World Cup comes to our soil, the majority of the soccer world will have its eyes on the greatest soccer party everyone wants to watch. This was the right way to go, and when 2027 comes. Then we can get back to normal.
U.S. Open Cup News:
- Nashville SC Wins Their First U.S. Open Cup Title at Austin
- First Time Finalists Battle for the U.S. Open Cup
- Austin FC’s Late Winner in Extra Time puts them in Open Cup Final
- Sam Surridge Hat Trick Puts Nashville SC in Open Cup Finals
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