The US Soccer Federation has announced the 146 teams that will enter qualifying for the 2026 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. 16 teams will emerge from qualifying for spots in the First Round proper next March, an increase from 14 spots last year. This is a record for spots allocated to the qualifying entrants. They will join 16 other amateur teams directly entered in the First Round for a total of 32 Open Division teams.
Teams will be organized into 16 regional pools next week, with teams playing anywhere from 2-4 knockout matches within their pool to advance to the First Round. Teams will play on the following weekends:
- September 13-14, 2025
- October 11-12, 2025
- November 1-2, 2025
- November 22-23, 2025
The 146 clubs smashes last year’s record of 114 and includes clubs from 28 different leagues across the county, including, for the first time, USL League Two and NPSL teams. Those two leagues will have clubs that are directly entered in Round 1, as usual, but any club that is not a part of that group is allowed to enter qualifying. We will see 4 USL-2 clubs and 10 NPSL clubs enter 2026 qualifying.
UPSL once again leads the way with a staggering 66 teams entered from their league. Their previous high was 50 teams last year. Also a record is 29 states plus D.C. represented in qualifying. The most clubs from any one state is Florida with 23, just beating out California with 22 teams. This is the first time California is not the state with most clubs in qualifying.
DIRECT ENTRIES
There will be 16 Open Division teams directly entered into the First Round proper next March. The USASA Amateur Cup, John Motta Trophy winner, and UPSL Spring Season Champion will all get automatic spots. USL League Two will get their champion and an additional 8 spots for a total of 9. NPSL will get their league champion and another 3 spots for a total of 4.
2025 USASA Amateur Cup Champion: West Chester United SC
2025 John Motta Trophy Winner (Open Division Prize Winner): El Farolito SC
2025 UPSL Spring Season Champion: Tennessee Tempo FC
NOTE: US Soccer has not officially confirmed the USL-2 and NPSL teams yet, but we have independently confirmed them through sources and process of elimination.
USL League Two (9): Vermont Green FC, FC Motown STA, Laredo Heat SC, Asheville City SC, Des Moines Menace, Northern Virginia FC, Ventura County Fusion, Flint City Bucks, Little Rock Rangers
NPSL (4): Hickory FC, Ristozi FC, Michigan Rangers, Flower City Union
QUALIFYING ENTRIES
146 clubs from 28 leagues, 29 states, and D.C.
By League:
American Premier League / USASA (3 Teams):
Aegean Hawks FC (VA), Los Toros (VA), Yinz United (VA)
America Premier Soccer League / USASA (14 Teams):
Central Park Rangers FC (NY), Christos FC (MD), Doxa FCW (NY), Lansdowne Yonkers FC (NY), Majestic SC (GA), New York Greek American SC (NY), New York Pancyprian Freedoms (NY), Oaklyn United FC (NJ), Patuxent FA (MD), Project Football (MA), Real Central NJ Soccer (NJ), SC Vistula Garfield (NJ), Vidas United FC (PA), Zum Schneider FC (NY)
Atlanta District Amateur Soccer League / USASA (1 Team):
Terminus FC (GA)
Bay State Soccer League / USASA (3 Teams):
Atletico Boston (MA), CD Faialense (MA), FC Omens (MA)
Colorado Premier League / USSSA (5 Teams):
Azteca FC (CO), Boulder United FC (CO), Colorado Rovers (CO), FC Denver (CO), Harpos FC (CO)
Dallas Soccer Alliance / USSSA (2 Teams):
Master Joga (TX), StrikerZ DFW Soccer Club (TX)
DC Premier League / USASA (2 Teams):
Guerrilla FC (DC), Oranje FC (MD)
Florida Suncoast Soccer League / USASA (1 Team):
Pinellas County United Pelicans SC
Garden State Soccer League / USASA (1 Team):
Scots-American Athletic Club (NJ)
Houston Football Association / USASA (1 Team):
ASC New Stars (TX)
Maryland Super Soccer League / USASA (1 Team):
Baltimore City F.C. (MD)
Metroplex Premier League / USSSA (2 Teams):
Dallas Atletico (TX), Denton Diablos (TX)
Midwest Premier League / USASA (3 Teams):
BOHFS St. Louis (MO), Chicago House AC (IL), Edgewater Castle FC (IL)
Mountain Premier League / USASA (1 Team):
Peak Eleven FC (CO)
North Coast Soccer League / USASA (1 Team):
Croatia Cleveland (OH)
National Premier Soccer League / USASA (10 Teams):
American Soccer Club New York (NY), Cleveland SC (OH), DMV Elite FC (MD), FC Florida (FL), Greenville United Football Club (NC), Grove United (VA), Iowa Demon Hawks (IA), Osner’s FC (NY), Philadelphia Ukrainians Nationals (PA), Real San Jose (CA)
Ohio Valley Premier League / US Club Soccer (1 Team):
Bootleggers AC (KY)
Premier Futbol League / USASA (1 Team):
Red Force (FL)
San Francisco Soccer Football League / USASA (4 Teams):
International San Francisco (CA), Norcal Shockwaves FC (CA), SF Vikings SC (CA), The Olympic Club (CA)
Seattle Recreational Adult Team Soccer / USSSA (1 Team):
Sharktopus Football Club (WA)
Soccer Premier League / USSSA (4 Teams):
Atletico Miami Internacional FC (FL), Boca Jrs Miami FC (FL), Fort Myers City FC (FL), River Miami FC (FL)
Southwest Premier League / USSSA (1 Team):
Dublin Celtic FC (CA)
The League for Clubs / USASA (7 Teams):
Albion SC Silicon Valley (CA), CF San Rafael (CA), FC Monmouth (NJ), Metropolitan Oval Academy (NY), Napa Valley 1839 FC (CA), San Ramon FC (CA), Tulsa Athletic (OK)
The Select League / US Club Soccer (1 Team):
Woodland Football Club (KS)
United Premier Soccer League (66 Teams):
210 FC (TX), Alexandria Reds (VA), Apple Valley Storm (CA), Ariana FC (CA), Arlington SA Pro (VA), Atletico Buford FC (GA), Badgers FC (FL), Bay Area United FC (CA), Bellevue Athletic FC (WA), Black Cat FC (IL), Bold City SC (FL), Briar United FC (NC), Brockton FC United (MA), Bulldogs SC (NJ), Capital City Islanders (PA), Chicago Strikers (IL), City SC San Diego (CA), City Soccer FC (FL), Deportivo Lake Mary FC (FL), Detroit Metro FC (MI), Doradus FC (VA), Eagles Sports Southaven F.C. (MS), Eclipse Soccer Academy (CA), Emerald FC Orlando (FL), FC America CFL Spurs (FL), FC Balboa (CA), FC Bartlesville Buffaloes (OK), FC Folsom (CA), FC Kanks (FL), FC Lonestar Gpse (NH), FCY New York (NY), Florida Futbol Club (FL), FORO SC (TX), Harbor City FC (FL), Ironbound SCP (NJ), Irvine FC (CA), Kalonji Pro-Profile (GA), Laguna United FC (CA), Limeño Georgia (GA), Miami United FC (FL), Mint Hill FC (NC), MoCo 1776 FC (MD), MSI Pro (MD), New Jersey Alliance FC (NJ), Next Level Soccer (AZ), North Georgia United (GA), NY Renegades FC (NY), Olympians FC (AZ), Omaha Street FC (NE), Palm Beach Flames SC (FL), Parkland Soccer Club (FL), Potros FC (GA), Rebels SC (CA), San Diego Internacional (CA), SCU Heat (SC), Southern Indiana FC (IN), Southern Indiana Guardians FC (IN), Sporting NTX (TX), Stetson FA (FL), SVD Beaumont (TX), Tennessee United Soccer Club (TN), USA Soccer (NM), United SC (IL), Valley 559 FC (CA), Virginia Dream FC (VA), Wisloka Chicago (IL)
United Soccer League of Pennsylvania / USASA (2 Teams):
Colonial SC (PA), Vereinigung Erzgebirge Majors (PA)
United States Soccer League / USSSA (3 Teams):
Hurricane FC (FL), Miami Soccer Academy (FL), O’Shea’s FC (FL)
USL League Two (4 Teams):
Akron City FC (OH), Ballard FC (WA), Steel City FC (PA), Western Mass Pioneers (MA)
BY STATE:
Arizona (2): Next Level Soccer, Olympians FC
California (22): Albion SC Silicon Valley, Apple Valley Storm, Ariana FC, Bay Area United FC, CF San Rafael, City SC San Diego, Dublin Celtic FC, Eclipse Soccer Academy, FC Balboa, FC Folsom, International San Francisco, Irvine FC, Laguna United FC, Napa Valley 1839 FC, Norcal Shockwaves FC, Real San Jose, Rebels SC, San Diego Internacional, San Ramon FC, SF Vikings SC, The Olympic Club, Valley 559 FC
Colorado (6): Azteca FC, Boulder United FC, Colorado Rovers, FC Denver, Harpos FC, Peak Eleven FC
District of Columbia (1): Guerrilla FC
Florida (23): Atletico Miami Internacional FC, Badgers FC, Boca Jrs Miami FC, Bold City SC, City Soccer FC, Deportivo Lake Mary FC, Emerald FC Orlando, FC America CFL Spurs, FC Florida, FC Kanks, Florida Futbol Club, Fort Myers City FC, Harbor City FC, Hurricane FC, Miami Soccer Academy, Miami United FC, O’Shea’s FC, Palm Beach Flames SC, Parkland Soccer Club, Pinellas County United Pelicans SC, Red Force, River Miami FC, Stetson FA
Georgia (6): Atletico Buford FC, Kalonji Pro-Profile, Limñeo Georgia, Majestic SC, North Georgia United, Terminus FC
Illinois (6): Black Cat FC, Chicago House AC, Chicago Strikers, Edgewater Castle FC, United SC, Wisloka Chicago
Indiana (2): Southern Indiana FC, Southern Indiana Guardians FC
Iowa (1): Iowa Demon Hawks
Kansas (1): Woodland Football Club
Kentucky (1): Bootleggers AC
Maryland (8): Baltimore City F.C., Christos FC, DMV Elite FC, MoCo 1776 FC, MSI Pro, Oranje FC, Patuxent FA, Potros FC
Massachusetts (6): Atletico Boston, Brockton FC United, CD Faialense, FC Omens, Project Football, Western Mass Pioneers
Michigan (1): Detroit Metro FC
Mississippi (1): Eagles Sports Southaven F.C.
Missouri (1): BOHFS St. Louis
Nebraska (1): Omaha Street FC
New Hampshire (1): FC Lonestar Gpse
New Jersey (8): Bulldogs SC, FC Monmouth. Ironbound SCP, New Jersey Alliance FC, Oaklyn United FC, Real Central NJ Soccer, SC Vistula Garfield, Scots-American Athletic Club
New Mexico (1): USA Soccer
New York (11): American Soccer Club New York, Central Park Rangers FC, Doxa FCW, FCY New York, Lansdowne Yonkers FC, Metropolitan Oval Academy, New York Greek American SC, New York Pancyprian Freedoms, NY Renegades FC, Osner’s FC, Zum Schneider FC
North Carolina (3): Briar United FC, Greenville United Football Club, Mint Hill FC
Ohio (3): Akron City FC, Cleveland SC, Croatia Cleveland
Oklahoma (2): FC Bartlesville Buffaloes, Tulsa Athletic
Pennsylvania (6): Capital City Islanders, Colonial SC, Philadelphia Ukrainians Nationals, Steel City FC, Vereinigung Erzgebirge Majors, Vidas United FC
South Carolina (1): SCU Heat
Tennessee (1): Tennessee United Soccer Club
Texas (9): 210 FC, ASC New Stars, Dallas Atletico, Denton Diablos, FORO SC, Master Joga, Sporting NTX, StrikerZ DFW Soccer Club, SVD Beaumont
Virginia (8): Aegean Hawks FC, Alexandria Reds, Arlington SA Pro, Doradus FC, Grove United, Los Toros, Virginia Dream FC, Yinz United
Washington (3): Ballard FC, Bellevue Athletic FC, Sharktopus Football Club