Fans of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup can mark their calendars for this year’s 100th tournament – at least tentatively.
First-round matches are set for May 14 and the 2013 final will be Oct. 1 or 2, according to a schedule posted on the US Adult Soccer Association Region II website. TheCup.us is currently seeking confirmation.
The posted schedule is listed as “still to be reviewed and ratified by the Open Cup Committee.” US Soccer hasn’t yet released the official schedule.
Matches during the first three rounds are scheduled for the last three Tuesdays in May, with competition shifting to Wednesdays for the fourth round, quarterfinals and semifinals.
The semifinals have two possible dates, Aug. 7 or 21 – the later date to be used only if one of the semifinalists is playing in the 2013-14 CONCACAF Champions League the week of Aug. 7.
While the tournament will start early for the second straight year, the final is scheduled for eight weeks after the Aug. 7 semifinal date – for comparison, the 2012 final was played on Aug. 8.
One note in the information the Region II website indicates that if one of the finalists is not from MLS, US Soccer will “consider rescheduling to an earlier date if we can find a break in the participating teams’ schedules.”
Here’s the schedule as posted:
Sunday, April 28: Qualifying deadline
Tuesday, May 14: First round
Tuesday, May 21: Second round
Tuesday, May 28: Third round (MLS teams enter)
Wednesday, June 12: Fourth round
Wednesday, June 26: Quarterfinals
Wednesday, Aug. 7: Semifinals
Wednesday, Aug. 21: Semifinals (only if a team is in the CONCACAF Champions League the week of Aug. 7)
Tuesday, Oct. 1 or Wednesday, Oct. 2: 100th Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup final
The deadline to enter the Region II Open Cup is March 17, with the draw on March 18 and first-round matches scheduled for 2 p.m. March 30. Wisconsin champion Croatian Eagles, the reigning USASA National Open champion, and RWB Adria, the only team that entered the Illinois competition, have already qualified for the Region II tournament.