While the 2022 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup is still in progress, with the semifinals taking place in one week, the qualifying for the 2023 competition has been underway all summer in the national leagues.
The format for the 2023 edition of the tournament has yet to be released, however the method in which teams can reach the tournament proper have been finalized including the Open Division National League Track. One of these leagues, USL League Two, formerly the Premier Development League (PDL), has held a fairly consistent qualifying process since 2012 where the league determines its entries based on the previous year’s results. The only changes have been the number of teams that the US Soccer Federation has allocated to it among the rest of the open division.
Sunday night finished the regular season of USL League Two, which means the “priority list” of teams for determining who qualifies is (almost) complete.
Beginning in 2012 and continuing in 2013, the top 16 US-based USL League Two teams qualified for the tournament directly based on how well they did the previous season. That number increased to 19 from 2014-16 and in 2017 the top 21 teams got in. Since then the number of slots awarded has gone down with 20 allocated in 2018 and 10 slots allocated in 2019. It’s stayed at about that number since, with 11 slots allocated in the cancelled 2020 tournament, then 10 slots allocated in 2022.
Now, for the 2023 Open Cup, the 16 division winners will be prioritized first, followed by the rest of the league’s teams sorted by Points-Per-Game (PPG). Different divisions played different numbers of games meaning average points per game will be used to sort the teams (followed by total wins (not averaged), average goal difference, and average goals scored).
There is one exception to this now. The USL League Two champion in the playoffs that are underway this weekend will receive the #1 overall priority for the league, ahead of all division champions. This was added by the league for the 2021 USL-2 season, making the defending champion Des Moines Menace the first benefactor of this change. Of course, the Menace were already #1 as the best division champion from the 2021 season, meaning there was effectively no change from the old method for the 2021 season.
The teams that qualify will join other Open Division teams, such as those from the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) and local amateur qualifiers in the opening round of next year’s competition.
Below is the overall USL League Two standings. z- denotes the USL League Two playoff champion, y- denotes a regular season division champion.
Finally, the following teams received points deductions this season from the league office. All points deductions are reflected in the table below.
- Dayton Dutch Lions: 1 point deducted
- Philadelphia Lone Star: 3 points deducted
- FC Golden State Force: 3 points deducted
- AHFC Royals: 4 points deducted
- Chicago Dutch Lions: 9 points deducted
| GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | PTS | PTS/GP | GD/GP | GF/GP | ||
| 1. | z-Ventura County Fusion | 12 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 24 | 15 | 9 | 26 | 2.166667 | 0.75 | 2 |
| 2. | y-Lionsbridge FC | 14 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 47 | 11 | 36 | 38 | 2.714286 | 2.571429 | 3.357143 |
| 3. | y-Des Moines Menace | 12 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 37 | 9 | 28 | 32 | 2.666667 | 2.333333 | 3.083333 |
| 4. | y-Seacoast United Phantoms | 14 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 37 | 13 | 24 | 37 | 2.642857 | 1.714286 | 2.642857 |
| 5. | y-Nona FC | 14 | 12 | 1 | 1 | 27 | 10 | 17 | 37 | 2.642857 | 1.214286 | 1.928571 |
| 6. | y-Manhattan SC | 14 | 12 | 2 | 0 | 32 | 15 | 17 | 36 | 2.571429 | 1.214286 | 2.285714 |
| 7. | y-Ocean City Nor’easters | 14 | 11 | 0 | 3 | 28 | 9 | 19 | 36 | 2.571429 | 1.357143 | 2 |
| 8. | y-Chicago FC United | 14 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 53 | 18 | 35 | 35 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 3.785714 |
| 9. | y-North Carolina Fusion U23 | 14 | 11 | 1 | 2 | 48 | 15 | 33 | 35 | 2.5 | 2.357143 | 3.428571 |
| 10. | y-Brazos Valley Cavalry F.C. | 14 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 47 | 15 | 32 | 34 | 2.428571 | 2.285714 | 3.357143 |
| 11. | y-One Knoxville SC | 14 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 34 | 10 | 24 | 34 | 2.428571 | 1.714286 | 2.428571 |
| 12. | y-South Bend Lions | 14 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 40 | 12 | 28 | 32 | 2.285714 | 2 | 2.857143 |
| 13. | y-Texas United | 14 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 32 | 13 | 19 | 32 | 2.285714 | 1.357143 | 2.285714 |
| 14. | y-Capital FC | 12 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 25 | 14 | 11 | 27 | 2.25 | 0.916667 | 2.083333 |
| 15. | y-Project 51O | 12 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 25 | 13 | 12 | 26 | 2.166667 | 1 | 2.083333 |
| 16. | y-Park City Red Wolves SC | 12 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 24 | 12 | 12 | 26 | 2.166667 | 1 | 2 |
| 17. | y-Kalamazoo FC | 14 | 8 | 2 | 4 | 28 | 15 | 13 | 28 | 2 | 0.928571 | 2 |
| 18. | Long Island Rough Riders | 14 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 40 | 14 | 26 | 34 | 2.428571 | 1.857143 | 2.857143 |
| 19. | Western Mass Pioneers | 14 | 11 | 3 | 0 | 36 | 15 | 21 | 33 | 2.357143 | 1.5 | 2.571429 |
| 20. | Kings Hammer FC | 14 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 41 | 15 | 26 | 32 | 2.285714 | 1.857143 | 2.928571 |
| 21. | Asheville City SC | 14 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 37 | 13 | 24 | 31 | 2.214286 | 1.714286 | 2.642857 |
| 22. | Ballard FC | 12 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 28 | 12 | 16 | 26 | 2.166667 | 1.333333 | 2.333333 |
| 23. | Christos FC | 13 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 51 | 18 | 33 | 28 | 2.153846 | 2.538462 | 3.923077 |
| 24. | The Villages SC | 14 | 9 | 2 | 3 | 24 | 11 | 13 | 30 | 2.142857 | 0.928571 | 1.714286 |
| 25. | Fort Wayne FC | 14 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 34 | 11 | 23 | 29 | 2.071429 | 1.642857 | 2.428571 |
| 26. | West Virginia United | 14 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 36 | 23 | 13 | 29 | 2.071429 | 0.928571 | 2.571429 |
| 27. | Charlotte Eagles | 14 | 9 | 3 | 2 | 38 | 26 | 12 | 29 | 2.071429 | 0.857143 | 2.714286 |
| 28. | Vermont Green FC | 14 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 38 | 14 | 24 | 28 | 2 | 1.714286 | 2.714286 |
| 29. | Kaw Valley FC | 13 | 8 | 3 | 2 | 31 | 16 | 15 | 26 | 2 | 1.153846 | 2.384615 |
| 30. | Flint City Bucks | 14 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 31 | 13 | 18 | 27 | 1.928571 | 1.285714 | 2.214286 |
| 31. | Houston FC | 14 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 24 | 16 | 8 | 27 | 1.928571 | 0.571429 | 1.714286 |
| 32. | Mississippi Brilla FC | 13 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 33 | 13 | 20 | 25 | 1.923077 | 1.538462 | 2.538462 |
| 33. | Flatirons Rush | 12 | 7 | 3 | 2 | 22 | 16 | 6 | 23 | 1.916667 | 0.5 | 1.833333 |
| 34. | Southern California Seahorses | 12 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 21 | 15 | 6 | 23 | 1.916667 | 0.5 | 1.75 |
| 35. | Hudson Valley Hammers | 14 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 44 | 31 | 13 | 25 | 1.785714 | 0.928571 | 3.142857 |
| 36. | AFC Ann Arbor | 14 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 35 | 18 | 17 | 25 | 1.785714 | 1.214286 | 2.5 |
| 37. | South Georgia Tormenta FC 2 | 13 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 23 | 16 | 7 | 23 | 1.769231 | 0.538462 | 1.769231 |
| 38. | FC Miami City | 12 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 27 | 17 | 10 | 21 | 1.75 | 0.833333 | 2.25 |
| 39. | San Francisco Glens SC | 12 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 27 | 12 | 15 | 21 | 1.75 | 1.25 | 2.25 |
| 40. | Peoria City | 12 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 22 | 18 | 4 | 21 | 1.75 | 0.333333 | 1.833333 |
| 41. | Boston City FC | 14 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 24 | 22 | 2 | 24 | 1.714286 | 0.142857 | 1.714286 |
| 42. | West Chester United SC | 14 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 33 | 18 | 15 | 24 | 1.714286 | 1.071429 | 2.357143 |
| 43. | Chicago City SC | 14 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 35 | 29 | 6 | 24 | 1.714286 | 0.428571 | 2.5 |
| 44. | Northern Virginia FC | 13 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 30 | 24 | 6 | 22 | 1.692308 | 0.461538 | 2.307692 |
| 45. | St. Louis Lions | 13 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 31 | 22 | 9 | 21 | 1.615385 | 0.692308 | 2.384615 |
| 46. | Florida Elite SA | 13 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 25 | 17 | 8 | 21 | 1.615385 | 0.615385 | 1.923077 |
| 47. | Corpus Christi FC | 14 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 21 | 21 | 0 | 22 | 1.571429 | 0 | 1.5 |
| 48. | New Jersey Copa FC | 14 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 26 | 29 | -3 | 22 | 1.571429 | -0.21429 | 1.857143 |
| 49. | LA Krewe | 14 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 39 | 26 | 13 | 22 | 1.571429 | 0.928571 | 2.785714 |
| 50. | Tri-Cities Otters | 14 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 17 | 23 | -6 | 21 | 1.5 | -0.42857 | 1.214286 |
| 51. | FA Euro New York | 14 | 6 | 5 | 3 | 22 | 21 | 1 | 21 | 1.5 | 0.071429 | 1.571429 |
| 52. | Real Central New Jersey | 14 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 31 | 27 | 4 | 20 | 1.428571 | 0.285714 | 2.214286 |
| 53. | Miami AC | 14 | 6 | 6 | 2 | 16 | 16 | 0 | 20 | 1.428571 | 0 | 1.142857 |
| 54. | Tennessee SC | 14 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 19 | 16 | 3 | 20 | 1.428571 | 0.214286 | 1.357143 |
| 55. | Reading United AC | 14 | 5 | 4 | 5 | 22 | 21 | 1 | 20 | 1.428571 | 0.071429 | 1.571429 |
| 56. | New Mexico United U23 | 12 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 23 | 19 | 4 | 17 | 1.416667 | 0.333333 | 1.916667 |
| 57. | South Carolina United FC | 13 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 23 | 24 | -1 | 18 | 1.384615 | -0.07692 | 1.769231 |
| 58. | Black Rock FC | 14 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 22 | 23 | -1 | 19 | 1.357143 | -0.07143 | 1.571429 |
| 59. | Oakland County FC | 14 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 28 | 35 | -7 | 19 | 1.357143 | -0.5 | 2 |
| 60. | FC Wichita | 14 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 23 | 30 | -7 | 19 | 1.357143 | -0.5 | 1.642857 |
| 61. | Little Rock Rangers | 14 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 26 | 23 | 3 | 19 | 1.357143 | 0.214286 | 1.857143 |
| 62. | Davis Legacy SC | 12 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 26 | 24 | 2 | 16 | 1.333333 | 0.166667 | 2.166667 |
| 63. | FC Motown STA | 14 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 29 | 23 | 6 | 18 | 1.285714 | 0.428571 | 2.071429 |
| 64. | Cedar Stars Rush | 14 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 31 | 32 | -1 | 18 | 1.285714 | -0.07143 | 2.214286 |
| 65. | Round Rock SC | 14 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 25 | 33 | -8 | 18 | 1.285714 | -0.57143 | 1.785714 |
| 66. | Weston FC | 14 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 10 | 18 | -8 | 18 | 1.285714 | -0.57143 | 0.714286 |
| 67. | Lane United FC | 12 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 19 | 18 | 1 | 15 | 1.25 | 0.083333 | 1.583333 |
| 68. | Charlotte Independence 2 | 14 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 39 | 32 | 7 | 17 | 1.214286 | 0.5 | 2.785714 |
| 69. | Boston Bolts | 14 | 5 | 7 | 2 | 19 | 24 | -5 | 17 | 1.214286 | -0.35714 | 1.357143 |
| 70. | Marin FC Legends | 12 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 20 | 18 | 2 | 14 | 1.166667 | 0.166667 | 1.666667 |
| 71. | Salt City SC | 12 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 21 | 27 | -6 | 14 | 1.166667 | -0.5 | 1.75 |
| 72. | North Carolina FC U23 | 14 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 30 | 24 | 6 | 16 | 1.142857 | 0.428571 | 2.142857 |
| 73. | Peachtree City MOBA | 14 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 24 | 30 | -6 | 15 | 1.071429 | -0.42857 | 1.714286 |
| 74. | Virginia Beach United | 14 | 5 | 9 | 0 | 14 | 32 | -18 | 15 | 1.071429 | -1.28571 | 1 |
| 75. | Dalton Red Wolves SC | 14 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 19 | 25 | -6 | 15 | 1.071429 | -0.42857 | 1.357143 |
| 76. | AC Connecticut | 14 | 4 | 9 | 1 | 26 | 34 | -8 | 13 | 0.928571 | -0.57143 | 1.857143 |
| 77. | Lansing City Football | 14 | 4 | 9 | 1 | 13 | 28 | -15 | 13 | 0.928571 | -1.07143 | 0.928571 |
| 78. | OVF Alliance | 12 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 24 | 21 | 3 | 11 | 0.916667 | 0.25 | 2 |
| 79. | Tampa Bay United | 12 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 14 | 16 | -2 | 11 | 0.916667 | -0.16667 | 1.166667 |
| 80. | Oly Town FC | 12 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 16 | 25 | -9 | 11 | 0.916667 | -0.75 | 1.333333 |
| 81. | Toledo Villa FC | 14 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 18 | 34 | -16 | 12 | 0.857143 | -1.14286 | 1.285714 |
| 82. | Southern Soccer Academy Kings | 14 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 12 | 30 | -18 | 12 | 0.857143 | -1.28571 | 0.857143 |
| 83. | PDX FC | 12 | 3 | 8 | 1 | 12 | 34 | -22 | 10 | 0.833333 | -1.83333 | 1 |
| 84. | Blue Goose SC | 13 | 3 | 9 | 1 | 22 | 33 | -11 | 10 | 0.769231 | -0.84615 | 1.692308 |
| 85. | Philadelphia Lone Star FC | 14 | 3 | 7 | 4 | 25 | 39 | -14 | 10 | 0.714286 | -1 | 1.785714 |
| 86. | Blackwatch Rush | 14 | 3 | 10 | 1 | 16 | 35 | -19 | 10 | 0.714286 | -1.35714 | 1.142857 |
| 87. | Patuxent Football Athletics | 14 | 3 | 10 | 1 | 13 | 33 | -20 | 10 | 0.714286 | -1.42857 | 0.928571 |
| 88. | Tobacco Road FC | 14 | 3 | 10 | 1 | 22 | 50 | -28 | 10 | 0.714286 | -2 | 1.571429 |
| 89. | St. Croix SC | 12 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 15 | 30 | -15 | 8 | 0.666667 | -1.25 | 1.25 |
| 90. | Central Valley Fuego FC 2 | 12 | 2 | 8 | 2 | 11 | 36 | -25 | 8 | 0.666667 | -2.08333 | 0.916667 |
| 91. | AHFC Royals | 14 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 24 | 33 | -9 | 8 | 0.571429 | -0.64286 | 1.714286 |
| 92. | Caledonia SC | 13 | 2 | 10 | 1 | 7 | 32 | -25 | 7 | 0.538462 | -1.92308 | 0.538462 |
| 93. | East Atlanta FC | 14 | 2 | 11 | 1 | 15 | 36 | -21 | 7 | 0.5 | -1.5 | 1.071429 |
| 94. | Springfield ASC | 14 | 2 | 11 | 1 | 16 | 38 | -22 | 7 | 0.5 | -1.57143 | 1.142857 |
| 95. | AC Houston Sur | 14 | 2 | 11 | 1 | 13 | 36 | -23 | 7 | 0.5 | -1.64286 | 0.928571 |
| 96. | Midwest United FC | 14 | 2 | 11 | 1 | 9 | 35 | -26 | 7 | 0.5 | -1.85714 | 0.642857 |
| 97. | Commonwealth Cardinals FC | 14 | 2 | 11 | 1 | 13 | 50 | -37 | 7 | 0.5 | -2.64286 | 0.928571 |
| 98. | Dayton Dutch Lions | 14 | 2 | 10 | 2 | 13 | 53 | -40 | 7 | 0.5 | -2.85714 | 0.928571 |
| 99. | San Francisco City FC | 12 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 13 | 27 | -14 | 6 | 0.5 | -1.16667 | 1.083333 |
| 100. | Cleveland Force SC | 14 | 1 | 9 | 4 | 15 | 36 | -21 | 7 | 0.5 | -1.5 | 1.071429 |
| 101. | FC Florida U23 | 14 | 1 | 10 | 3 | 13 | 26 | -13 | 6 | 0.428571 | -0.92857 | 0.928571 |
| 102. | LA Parish | 14 | 1 | 10 | 3 | 22 | 66 | -44 | 6 | 0.428571 | -3.14286 | 1.571429 |
| 103. | FC Golden State Force | 12 | 1 | 6 | 5 | 12 | 19 | -7 | 5 | 0.416667 | -0.58333 | 1 |
| 104. | Minneapolis City SC | 12 | 1 | 9 | 2 | 11 | 26 | -15 | 5 | 0.416667 | -1.25 | 0.916667 |
| 105. | CISA | 12 | 1 | 9 | 2 | 12 | 28 | -16 | 5 | 0.416667 | -1.33333 | 1 |
| 106. | Westchester Flames | 14 | 1 | 11 | 2 | 16 | 38 | -22 | 5 | 0.357143 | -1.57143 | 1.142857 |
| 107. | Lehigh Valley United | 14 | 1 | 12 | 1 | 21 | 46 | -25 | 4 | 0.285714 | -1.78571 | 1.5 |
| 108. | Pathfinder FC | 14 | 1 | 12 | 1 | 8 | 46 | -38 | 4 | 0.285714 | -2.71429 | 0.571429 |
| 109. | Wake FC | 14 | 1 | 12 | 1 | 17 | 60 | -43 | 4 | 0.285714 | -3.07143 | 1.214286 |
| 110. | Morris Elite SC | 14 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 9 | 46 | -37 | 3 | 0.214286 | -2.64286 | 0.642857 |
| 111. | Chicago Dutch Lions FC | 14 | 2 | 12 | 0 | 18 | 54 | -36 | -3 | -0.21429 | -2.57143 | 1.285714 |