2017 US Open Cup

2017 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup results

April 12, 2017 by Josh Hakala

Sporting Kansas City celebrates after defeating the New York Red Bulls 2-1 in the 2017 US Open Cup Final. Photo: Bob Larson

Click on the scores below for match reports
All Times Eastern

Map of all the #USOC2017 teams
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ROUND 1	AWAY TEAM	TIME	HOME TEAM	VENUE	A/V
May 9	South Florida Surf (PDL)	4:2	Red Force FC (USASA)	Tropical Park – Miami, FL	VIDEO
May 10	Christos FC (USASA)	3:0	Fredericksburg FC (NPSL)	Univ. of Mary Washington Battleground Stadium – F’burg, VA	VIDEO
May 10	SC United Bantams (PDL)	1:4	Atlanta Silverbacks (NPSL)	Atlanta Silverbacks Park – Atlanta, GA	VIDEO
May 10	Burlingame Dragons (PDL)	0:0 (6:5 PK)	El Farolito (USASA)	Boxer Stadium – San Francisco, CA	NONE
May 10	Boston City FC (NPSL)	2:2 (5:4 PK)	Western Mass Pioneers (PDL)	Lusitano Stadium – Ludlow, MA	VIDEO
May 10	FC Motown (USASA)	2:1 (AET)	New Jersey Copa FC (NPSL)	Saint John Vianney HS – Holmdel, NJ	VIDEO
May 10	Chattanooga FC (NPSL)	0:2	Charlotte Eagles (PDL)	Charlotte Christian School – Charlotte, NC	VIDEO
May 10	Legacy 76 (NPSL)	1:2	Carolina Dynamo (PDL)	Macpherson Stadium – Greensboro, NC	VIDEO
May 10	Boca Raton FC (USASA)	1:2	Miami United (NPSL)	Ted Hendricks Stadium – Hialeah, FL	VIDEO
May 10	The Villages SC (PDL)	1:2	Jacksonville Armada U23s (NPSL)	Patton Park – Jacksonville, FL	VIDEO
May 10	Junior Lone Star FC (USASA)	1:3	Ocean City Nor’easters (PDL)	Carey Stadium – Ocean City, NJ	RADIO
May 10	Clarkstown SC Eagles (NPSL)	0:1	Reading United AC (PDL)	Exeter High School Don Thomas Stadium – Reading, PA	VIDEO
May 10	AFC Ann Arbor (NPSL)	0:1	Michigan Bucks (PDL)	Ultimate Soccer Arenas – Pontiac, MI	VIDEO
May 10	Tartan Devils Oak Avalon (USASA)	1:1 (5:4 PK)	Derby City Rovers (PDL)	Woehrle Athletic Complex – Jeffersonville, IN	NONE
May 10	GPS Omens (USASA)	2:0	GPS Portland Phoenix (PDL)	Memorial Field – Portland, ME	NONE
May 10	North Texas Rayados (USASA)	1:3	Dutch Lions FC (NPSL)	Dutch Lions FC Soccer Facility – Conroe, TX	VIDEO
May 10	Azteca FC (USSSA)	0:1 (AET)	FC Wichita (NPSL)	Stryker Soccer Complex – Wichita, KS	VIDEO
May 10	AFC Cleveland (NPSL)	3:1	Des Moines Menace (PDL)	Valley Stadium – West Des Moines, IA	VIDEO
May 10	Oklahoma City Energy U23s (PDL)	1:1 (4:2 PK)	Tulsa Athletic (NPSL)	Hurricane Soccer & Track Stadium – Tulsa, OK	VIDEO
May 10	Anahuac FC (USASA)	1:1 (5:4 PK)	Sonoma County Sol (NPSL)	Casa Grande High School – Petaluma, CA	NONE
May 10	Chula Vista FC (USASA)	3:2	Albion SC Pros (NPSL)	Mission Bay HS – San Diego, CA	VIDEO
May 10	Outbreak FC (USASA)	0:2	FC Golden State Force (PDL)	Citrus College – Glendora, CA	NONE
May 10	La Maquina (USASA)	1:4	Fresno Fuego (PDL)	Chukchansi Park – Fresno, CA	VIDEO
May 10	Moreno Valley FC (USASA)	2:1	Ventura County Fusion (PDL)	Ventura County Sportsplex – Ventura, CA	VIDEO
May 10	Colorado Rush (USSSA)	1:3	FC Tucson (PDL)	Kino North Stadium – Tucson, AZ	VIDEO
May 10	Sounders FC U23s (PDL)	0:0 (3:5 PK)	OSA FC (NPSL)	Seattle HS Memorial Stadium – Seattle, WA	VIDEO
May 10	San Diego Zest (PDL)	2:4	LA Wolves FC (USASA)	Azusa Pacific University Field – Azusa, CA	VIDEO
May 12	Grand Rapids FC (NPSL)	0:1	Chicago FC United (PDL)	Wheaton College – Wheaton, IL	VIDEO

ROUND 2	AWAY TEAM	TIME	HOME TEAM	VENUE	A/V
May 16	Jacksonville Armada U23s (NPSL)	0:3	Tampa Bay Rowdies (USL)	Al Lang Stadium – St. Petersburg, FL	VIDEO
May 17	Charleston Battery (USL)	2:1	Atlanta Silverbacks (NPSL)	Atlanta Silverbacks Park – Atlanta, GA	VIDEO
May 17	New York Cosmos (NASL)	2:3	Reading United AC (PDL)	Shirk Stadium – Reading, PA	VIDEO
May 17	GPS Omens (USASA)	2:1	Boston City FC (NPSL)	Della Russo Stadium, Revere, MA	VIDEO
May 17	Christos FC (USASA)	1:0	Richmond Kickers (USL)	City Stadium – Richmond, VA	VIDEO
May 17	FC Motown (USASA)	0:3	Rochester Rhinos (USL)	Capelli Sport Stadium – Rochester, NY	VIDEO
May 17	Jacksonville Armada (NASL)	2:1	Miami United (NPSL)	Ted Hendricks Stadium – Hialeah, FL	VIDEO
May 17	North Carolina FC (NASL)	6:1	Carolina Dynamo (PDL)	Macpherson Stadium – Greensboro, NC	VIDEO
May 17	Charlotte Independence (USL)	3:2	Charlotte Eagles (PDL)	Charlotte Christian School – Charlotte, NC	VIDEO
May 17	Louisville City FC (USL)	9:0	Tartan Devils Oak Avalon (USASA)	Highmark Stadium – Pittsburgh, PA	NONE
May 17	AFC Cleveland (NPSL)	0:1 (AET)	FC Cincinnati (USL)	Nippert Stadium – Cincinnati, OH	NONE
May 17	Indy Eleven (NASL)	0:1	Michigan Bucks (PDL)	Ultimate Soccer Arenas – Pontiac, MI	VIDEO
May 17	South Florida Surf (PDL)	2:3	Miami FC (NASL)	Cobb Field (Univ. of Miami)- Coral Gables, FL	VIDEO
May 17	Harrisburg City Islanders (USL)	0:0 (6:5 PK)	Ocean City Nor’easters (PDL)	Carey Stadium – Ocean City, NJ	AUDIO
May 17	Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USL)	1:3	Chicago FC United (PDL)	Hoyne Field (Loyola Univ.) – Chicago, IL	VIDEO
May 17	Saint Louis FC (USL)	4:3 (AET)	FC Wichita (NPSL)	Stryker Soccer Complex – Wichita, KS	VIDEO
May 17	San Antonio FC (USL)	2:1	Dutch Lions FC (NPSL)	Dutch Lions FC Soccer Facility – Conroe, TX	VIDEO
May 17	OKC Energy U23s (PDL)	3:5	Tulsa Roughnecks (USL)	Hurricane Soccer & Track Stadium – Tulsa, OK	VIDEO
May 17	Moreno Valley FC (USASA)	1:5	Oklahoma City Energy FC (USL)	Taft Stadium – Oklahoma City, OK	VIDEO
May 17	FC Tucson (PDL)	0:2	Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC (USL)	Weidner Field – Colorado Springs, CO	NONE
May 17	Phoenix Rising (USL)	3:1	Fresno Fuego (PDL)	Fresno State Soccer & Lacrosse Stadium – Fresno, CA	VIDEO
May 17	Orange County SC (USL)	5:2	FC Golden State Force (PDL)	Citrus College – Glendora, CA	NONE
May 17	Chula Vista FC (USASA)	0:1 (AET)	Los Angeles Wolves FC (USASA)	Azusa Pacific Univ. – Azusa, CA	NONE
May 17	Anahuac FC (USASA)	0:4	Sacramento Republic FC (USL)	Papa Murphy’s Park – Sacramento, CA	VIDEO
May 17	Burlingame Dragons (PDL)	1:2	San Francisco Deltas (NASL)	Stanford University – Stanford, CA	VIDEO
May 17	Reno 1868 FC (USL)	1:1 (4:3 PK)	OSA FC (NPSL)	Starfire Sports Complex – Tukwila, WA	VIDEO
ROUND 3	AWAY TEAM	TIME	HOME TEAM	VENUE	A/V
May 30	Saint Louis FC (USL)	2:1	Michigan Bucks (PDL)	Ultimate Soccer Arenas – Pontiac, MI	VIDEO
May 31	GPS Omens (USASA)	1:2 (AET)	Rochester Rhinos (USL)	Capelli Sport Stadium – Rochester, NY	VIDEO
May 31	Charleston Battery (USL)	1:0	Jacksonville Armada (NASL)	Southern Oak Stadium (Jacksonville Univ.) – Jacksonville, FL	VIDEO
May 31	Louisville City FC (USL)	0:1	FC Cincinnati (USL)	Nippert Stadium (Univ. of Cincinnati) – Cincinnati, OH	VIDEO
May 31	Harrisburg City Islanders (USL)	3:0	Reading United AC (PDL)	Exeter Township Senior HS – Reading, PA	VIDEO
May 31	Charlotte Independence (USL)	1:4	North Carolina FC (NASL)	Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Park – Cary, NC	VIDEO
May 31	Tampa Bay Rowdies (USL)	0:2	Miami FC (NASL)	FIU Stadium – Miami, FL	ESPN3
May 31	Christos FC (USASA)	1:0	Chicago FC United (PDL)	Hoyne Field (Loyola Univ.) – Chicago, IL	VIDEO
May 31	San Antonio FC (USL)	0:0 (6:7 PK)	Tulsa Roughnecks (USL)	Hurricane Soccer & Track Stadium	VIDEO
May 31	Oklahoma City Energy FC (USL)	2:1	Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC (USL)	Weidner Field – Colorado Springs, CO	VIDEO
May 31	San Francisco Deltas (NASL)	2:1	Phoenix Rising (USL)	Phoenix Rising Soccer Complex – Scottsdale, AZ	VIDEO
May 31	Orange County SC (USL)	1:0	Los Angeles Wolves (USASA)	Azusa Pacific University – Azusa, CA	VIDEO
May 31	Reno 1868 FC (USL)	0:2	Sacramento Republic (USL)	Papa Murphy’s Park – Sacramento, CA	VIDEO
ROUND 4	AWAY TEAM	SCORE	HOME TEAM	VENUE	A/V
June 13	Christos FC (USASA)	1:4	D.C. United (MLS)	Maryland Soccerplex – Boyds, MD	VIDEO
June 13	Oklahoma City Energy FC (USL)	2:3	Colorado Rapids (MLS)	Dick’s Sporting Goods Park – Commerce City, CO	VIDEO
June 13	Portland Timbers (MLS)	1:2	Seattle Sounders FC (MLS)	Starfire Sports Complex – Tukwila, WA	VIDEO
June 14	Columbus Crew (MLS)	0:1	FC Cincinnati (USL)	Nippert Stadium (Univ. of Cincinnati) – Cincinnati, OH	VIDEO
June 14	Houston Dynamo (MLS)	3:2 (AET)	North Carolina FC (NASL)	Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Park – Cary, NC	VIDEO
June 14	Rochester Rhinos (USL)	0:3	New England Revolution (MLS)	Anderson Stadium (Providence College) – Providence, RI	VIDEO
June 14	Harrisburg City Islanders (USL)	1:3	Philadelphia Union (MLS)	Talen Energy Stadium – Chester, PA	VIDEO
June 14	Charleston Battery (USL)	2:3	Atlanta United (MLS)	Fifth Third Bank Stadium (Kennesaw State Univ.) – Kennesaw, GA	VIDEO
June 14	Miami FC (NASL)	3:1	Orlando City SC (MLS)	Orlando City Stadium – Orlando, FL	VIDEO
June 14	New York City FC (MLS)	0:1	New York Red Bulls (MLS)	Red Bull Arena – Harrison, NJ	VIDEO
June 14	Chicago Fire (MLS)	1:0	Saint Louis FC (USL)	Toyota Stadium (WWT Soccer Park) – Fenton, MO	VIDEO
June 14	Tulsa Roughnecks (USL)	1:2	FC Dallas (MLS)	Westcott Field (SMU) – Dallas, TX	VIDEO
June 14	Minnesota United FC (MLS)	0:4	Sporting Kansas City (MLS)	Children’s Mercy Park – Kansas City, KS	VIDEO
June 14	Orange County SC (USL)	1:3	Los Angeles Galaxy (MLS)	StubHub Center Track Stadium – Carson, CA	VIDEO
June 14	San Francisco Deltas (NASL)	0:2	San Jose Earthquakes (MLS)	Avaya Stadium – San Jose, CA	VIDEO
June 14	Real Salt Lake (MLS)	1:4	Sacramento Republic (USL)	Papa Murphy’s Park – Sacramento, CA	VIDEO
ROUND 5 (Rd of 16)	AWAY TEAM	SCORE	HOME TEAM		A/V
June 27	Colorado Rapids (MLS)	1:3	FC Dallas (MLS)	Toyota Stadium – Frisco, TX	VIDEO
June 28	Sporting Kansas City (MLS)	2:0	Houston Dynamo (MLS)	BBVA Compass Stadium – Houston, TX	VIDEO
June 28	D.C. United (MLS)	1:2	New England Revolution (MLS)	Jordan Field (Harvard Univ.) – Boston, MA	VIDEO
June 28	Atlanta United (MLS)	2:3	Miami FC (NASL)	Riccardo Silva Stadium (Florida Int’l Univ) – Miami, FL	VIDEO
June 28	Chicago Fire (MLS)	0:0 (1:3 PK)	FC Cincinnati (USL)	Nippert Stadium – Cincinnati, OH	ESPN
June 28	Philadelphia Union (MLS)	1:1 (3:5 PK)	New York Red Bulls (MLS)	Red Bull Arena – Harrison, NJ	VIDEO
June 28	Seattle Sounders FC (MLS)	1:2	San Jose Earthquakes (MLS)	Avaya Stadium – San Jose, CA	VIDEO
June 28	Sacramento Republic (USL)	0:2	Los Angeles Galaxy (MLS)	StubHub Center Track Stadium – Carson, CA	VIDEO
Q-FINALS	AWAY TEAM	SCORE	HOME TEAM		A/V
July 10	Los Angeles Galaxy (MLS)	2:3	San Jose Earthquakes (MLS)	Avaya Stadium – San Jose, CA	VIDEO
July 11	FC Dallas (MLS)	0:3 (AET)	Sporting Kansas City (MLS)	Children’s Mercy Park – Kansas City, KS	VIDEO
July 13	New York Red Bulls (MLS)	1:0	New England Revolution (MLS)	Jordan Field (Harvard Univ.) – Boston, MA	VIDEO
Aug. 2	FC Cincinnati (USL)	1:0	Miami FC (NASL)	Riccardo Silva Stadium (Florida International Univ.) – Miami, FL	VIDEO
SEMIFINALS	AWAY TEAM	SCORE	HOME TEAM		A/V
Aug. 9	San Jose Earthquakes (MLS)	1:1 (4:5 PKs)	Sporting Kansas City (MLS)	Children’s Mercy Park – Kansas City, KS	VIDEO
Aug. 15	New York Red Bulls (MLS)	3:2 (AET)	FC Cincinnati (USL)	Nippert Stadium (Univ. of Cincinnati) – Cincinnati, OH	VIDEO
FINAL	AWAY TEAM	SCORE	HOME TEAM		A/V
Sept. 20	New York Red Bulls (MLS)	1:2	Sporting Kansas City (MLS)	Children’s Mercy Park – Kansas City, KS	ESPN2

A map of all 99 entries for the 2017 US Open Cup

March 29, 2017 by Josh Hakala

A map of the 99 entries for the 2017 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. Graphic by: Gilberto Hernandez (Twitter: @GilbertoHdz200)

The 104th edition of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup will kick off on May 10 with 99 teams from across the country battling for the United States’ true national championship.

After a long hiatus, professional teams re-entered the tournament en masse in 1995, what TheCup.us has declared as the beginning of the Modern Era.

The tournament has come a long way since that 1995 tournament. That year, it was a 16-team competition made up of four A-League teams (Div. 2), seven USISL Pro teams (Div. 3), and five amateur teams (one USISL Premier team, four USASA teams).

The tournament doubled in size to 32 teams in 1997 and after seven years of being in the 30s, the Open Cup reached 40 in 2004. It remained between 40 and 42 teams until 2012 when it shot up to 64. Since, it has either increased or remained the same every year.

The highest number of entries that TheCup.us has been able to dig up was 145 teams that entered in 1970 (although that’s unclear if that is including the tournament proper, or all teams that entered qualifying at the beginning).

Click on the map to the right to see the geographic representation of this year’s tournament on a map created by Gilberto Hernandez (Twitter: @GilbertoHdz200).

There are 30 different states represented (35 different state associations overall) this year. There are also a number of Modern Era participation records that have been broken in 2017.

California – 19 (previous record: 13)
Colorado – 4
Florida: 10
Massachusetts: 4
Oklahoma: 4
Pennsylvania: 6

There is more than one Kentucky team team for the first time in the Modern Era, and there are two teams from Nevada who will take part in the competition, marking the first time that the Silver State has had a team in the Open Cup proper.

2017 US Open Cup format unveiled with record number of teams

March 1, 2017 by Josh Hakala

FC Dallas: 2016 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup champions. Photo: FC Dallas

The United States Soccer Federation announced the format for the 2017 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup with a Modern Era (1995-present) record 99 teams set to take part in the 104th edition of the tournament.

Just like last year, the third round of the Open Division qualifying tournament has been canceled and all the remaining teams, with the exception of Minneapolis City SC who has been disqualified, will enter the tournament which is scheduled to begin May 10. The opening round will feature a Modern Era record 56 amateur clubs. 17 Open Division teams will join 21 Premier Development League (PDL) teams and 18 National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) clubs.

The format will look a little different this year due to the changes at the professional level. For the first time since 1995, the first year of the Modern Era, there will not be three professional divisions represented in the tournament. The United Soccer League (USL) and the North American Soccer League (NASL) were both awarded provisional Division II status, and will all enter the competition in the Second Round, scheduled to take place on May 17. The USL will feature 18 teams, while the NASL is submitting six.

The Round 2 winners will play each other in Round 3 on May 31 and the teams that emerge from that will welcome the 19 US-based Major League Soccer teams in the Fourth Round on June 14.

The winner of the 104th edition of US Soccer’s national championship, will take home a $250,000 cash prize and a berth in the 2019 CONCACAF Champions League. The runner-up receives $60,000, while the Division II club and the amateur club that advance the furthest will be awarded a $15,000 prize.

Last year, FC Dallas ended a 19-year title drought by defeating the New England Revolution 4-2 in the 2016 Final. Mauro Diaz had a record-breaking performance in the Final with a goal and three assists, and was named TheCup.us Player of the Tournament. Diego Restrepo of the Fort Lauderdale Strikers took home TheCup.us Lower Division Player of the Tournament honors.

There are some teams that did enough to qualify for the 2017 tournament but have been left out due to changing leagues. The chief example is Minneapolis City SC, a team that’s decision to change leagues ultimately disqualified them from the tournament. City changed from the Premier League of America to the National Premier Soccer League while the qualifying tournament was ongoing and according to the US Open Cup rules, that disqualifies them.

Two other teams, the Myrtle Beach Mutiny and the Midland-Odessa Sockers, had good enough league seasons to qualify for the NPSL and the PDL, respectively, but since those teams joined the rival league, they were left out. The New York Cosmos B, who are a professional team within the NPSL and owned by the NASL club of the same name, are not eligible due to rules forbidding pro teams owned by higher-level pro teams entering the same tournament.

Tournament Format, Schedule and Other Key Dates:

Initial Pairings Announcement – April 12

First Round games as well as Second Round possibilities announced.

First Round – May 10

Number of Games: 28
Participants: 56 Open Division teams
Competition: Teams will be paired geographically with the restriction that teams from the same qualifying pool (e.g. local qualifiers, PDL, NPSL) cannot be paired to play each other.

Second Round – May 17

Number of Games: 26
Participants: Winners of 28 First Round games are joined by 24 Division II clubs (6 from NASL, 18 from USL).
Competition: At the time the First Round pairings are made, each Division II team will be matched geographically to a specific matchup.

First Round pairing and be scheduled to play its winner. The remaining First Round matchups not paired with a Division II side will be paired geographically, with the winners playing each other to complete the round.

Third Round – May 31

Number of Games: 13
Participants: Winners of 26 Second Round games will play each other.
Competition: After each Second Round matchup has been determined, the Second Round pairs will be bracketed geographically to create the Third Round matchups.

Fourth Round – June 14*

Number of Games: 16
Participants: Winners from 13 Third Round games are joined by 19 MLS clubs.
Competition: After each Third Round matchup has been determined, 13 of 19 MLS teams will be paired geographically to a specific Third Round matchup and be scheduled to play these winners, while the remaining six MLS teams will be paired up to complete the bracket.

Round of 16 Draw – June 15

The Fourth Round winners will be divided geographically (regardless of league affiliation) into groups of four, with teams who are precluded from playing each other until the Final per tournament regulations (i.e. pro teams and their affiliated Open Division sides) placed in different groups. A random draw will determine the pairings within each group, resulting in a fixed bracket for the remainder of the tournament. Should a precluded pair of teams reach the Semifinal Round and be scheduled to face each other, the matches will be re-drawn after the quarterfinals to avoid this outcome.

Round of 16 – June 28*

Number of Games: 8
Fourth Round winners face each other as determined by the Round of 16 Draw.

Quarterfinals – July 11^

Semifinals – Aug. 9*

Final – Sept. 20

* Any game in the Fourth Round, Round of 16 and Semifinal Round where one of the participants has a league game the following Friday will be moved up a day (exception to this is when the team’s opponent is scheduled for a league game the preceding Sunday; in this case, the provisions in the 2017 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Handbook to determine the match date will prevail). In addition, any game chosen by US Soccer to be broadcast nationally is subject to being moved up a day.

^ For the Quarterfinal Round, teams may apply to change the match date within a window that runs between July 7-16 if both teams in a match are not scheduled otherwise.

Note: The day following each of the dates listed above is reserved as a make-up date in the event of a weather postponement.

2017 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Participating Teams

Division I and II Professional Teams Eligible to Participate (43 total):

Division I (19 teams, entering in the Fourth Round) – Major League Soccer: Atlanta United FC, Chicago Fire, Colorado Rapids, Columbus Crew SC, D.C. United, FC Dallas, Houston Dynamo, LA Galaxy, Minnesota United FC, New England Revolution, New York City FC, New York Red Bulls, Orlando City SC, Philadelphia Union, Portland Timbers, Real Salt Lake, San Jose Earthquakes, Seattle Sounders FC, Sporting Kansas City

Division II (24 teams, entering in the Second Round) – North American Soccer League (6): Indy Eleven, Jacksonville Armada, Miami FC, New York Cosmos, North Carolina FC (formerly Carolina RailHawks), San Francisco Deltas

United Soccer League (18 teams): Charleston Battery, Charlotte Independence, Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC, FC Cincinnati, Harrisburg City Islanders, Louisville City FC, OKC Energy FC, Orange County SC (formerly Orange County Blues), Phoenix Rising FC (formerly Arizona United), Pittsburgh Riverhounds, Reno 1868 FC, Richmond Kickers, Rochester Rhinos, Sacramento Republic FC, Saint Louis FC, San Antonio FC, Tampa Bay Rowdies, Tulsa Roughnecks FC

Open Division Teams (56 total, all entering in the First Round):

Local Qualifiers (17 places, listed alphabetically by state): California (6): Chula Vista FC, El Farolito, La Máquina*, LA Wolves FC*, Moreno Valley Fútbol Club, Outbreak FC*; Colorado (2): Azteca FC, Colorado Rush; Florida (2): Boca Raton Football Club*, Red Force FC; Maryland (1): Christos FC; Massachusetts (1): GPS Omens; Nevada (1): Anahuac FC; New Jersey (1): FC Motown; Pennsylvania (2): Junior Lone Star FC, Tartan Devils Oak Avalon; Texas (1): NTX Rayados

Premier Development League (21 places): Division Winners: Charlotte Eagles* (N.C.), Des Moines Menace* (Iowa), FC Tucson* (Ariz.), Fresno Fuego (Calif.), GPS Portland Phoenix* (Maine), Michigan Bucks*, OKC Energy U23 (Okla.), Reading United AC* (Pa.), The Villages SC* (Fla.); At-Large Berths: Burlingame Dragons* (Calif.), Carolina Dynamo* (N.C.), Chicago FC United (formerly Chicago Fire U-23), Derby City Rovers (Ky.), FC Golden State Force (Calif.), Ocean City Nor’easters (N.J.), San Diego Zest (Calif.), SC United Bantams (S.C.), Sounders FC U-23* (Wash.), South Florida Surf, Ventura County Fusion* (Calif.), Western Mass Pioneers.

The PDL is a nationwide league affiliated with the U.S. Adult Soccer Association and opted to use 2016 league results to determine its qualifiers for the 2017 Open Cup.

National Premier Soccer League (18 places): Qualified via 2016 NPSL playoffs: AFC Cleveland* (Ohio), Albion SC Pros (Calif.), Chattanooga FC* (Tenn.), Clarkstown SC Eagles* (N.Y.), Grand Rapids FC (Mich.), Miami United FC (Fla.), New Jersey Copa FC (N.J.), Sonoma County Sol (Calif.); At-Large Berths: AFC Ann Arbor (Mich.), Atlanta Silverbacks*, Boston City FC (Mass.), Dutch Lions FC (Texas), FC Wichita* (Kan.), Fredericksburg FC* (Va.), Jacksonville Armada U-23 (Fla.), Legacy 76 (Va.), OSA FC (Wash.) Tulsa Athletics (Okla).

The NPSL is a nationwide league affiliated with the U.S. Adult Soccer Association and opted to use 2016 league results to determine its qualifiers for the 2017 Open Cup.

Changing leagues means Myrtle Beach Mutiny, Midland-Odessa Sockers will be left out of 2017 US Open Cup

February 9, 2017 by Ian Foster

The format for the 2017 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup has yet to be announced, but two teams changing leagues has opened the door for others to qualify.

Based on the 2017 US Open Cup handbook (distributed by the USSF), TheCup.us determined which Premier Development League (PDL) teams and which National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) teams were likely to qualify for the 104th edition of the tournament. The criteria for qualification was the results of the previous league season.

Now, with the Myrtle Beach Mutiny and the Midland-Odessa Sockers, changing leagues, this makes them ineligible to next year’s competition. Myrtle Beach moved from NPSL to PDL while Midland-Odessa did the reverse.

This isn’t so much of a policy as it is, an example of simple sports logic. Each league is awarded a certain number of spots in the tournament, so if a qualified team leaves a league and joins another, which league should they represent? The choices are: a league they just left or the league they just joined where their credentials for qualifying are season results with a rival league? Myrtle Beach and Midland-Odessa simply don’t have league results from their current league, making them ineligible.

This opens the door for one additional team in both leagues, though which team that is unclear since the precise allocation has yet to be announced by the United States Soccer Federation (USSF). However, we can harbor a guess based on recent tournaments and last summer’s breakdown of which PDL and NPSL should make the tournament (now updated to reflect the changes).

For the PDL, the process is simple: every team below Midland-Odessa moves up one. PDL sent 19 teams to the 2016 Open Cup. So if the allocation remains the same, that’s good news for teams like SC United Bantams, who are next in line assuming the league will maintain 19 entries. The Burlingame Dragons are sitting 20th, while Derby City Rovers are now No. 21.

The NPSL situation is slightly more complicated. They make their Open Cup qualifying list based on playoff results, as well as regional and conference standings. This essentially means that only certain teams in the South Region are affected. The Atlanta Silverbacks, who were likely on the outside looking in based on last year’s 15-team NPSL allocation, jump to the #11 slot and into the tournament if last year’s format holds true. Jacksonville Armada U-23s jump to the 18th position while other South teams (Houston Dutch Lions and FC Wichita) are unaffected.

MORE: Which PDL teams will qualify for the 2017 US Open Cup?
MORE: Which NPSL teams will qualify for the 2017 US Open Cup?

To be clear, this is not a result of the rule that disqualified Minneapolis City SC, as first reported by FiftyFive.One. They are expected to be disqualified because they changed leagues midway through the 2017 US Open Cup qualifying process.

2017 US Open Cup qualifying tournament set to begin Sept. 10 with 64 Open Division amateur teams

August 17, 2016 by Josh Hakala

Before the 2016 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup will crown a champion, the qualifying process for the 2017 tournament, the 104th edition of the competition, will already be underway.

The United States Soccer Federation (USSF) announced the first and second round matchups for the 2017 US Open Cup Open Division qualifying tournament which is made up of 64 amateur teams representing 18 states and 23 different leagues from across the country. The Open Division features all amateur teams that are not from the Premier Development League (PDL) or the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL). The PDL and the NPSL utilize their respective 2016 league results to determine its entries (Expected 2017 PDL entries here, 2017 NPSL entries here).

The opening round of the open division tournament is scheduled for the weekend of Sept. 10-11 and Sept. 17-18 with 56 of the 64 teams participating. The remaining eight teams will receive byes into Round 2, which is scheduled for Oct. 15-16 and Oct. 22-23. The matchups are determined based on geographic location in an effort to minimize travel costs. If there were three or more teams in the same area, the matchups were made via blind draw. The home teams were also determined by a blind draw.

The matchups for the third round of the tournament (Nov. 19-20) will be determined after the second round is completed.

The tournament features 55 teams from leagues based in the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA), with seven from the United States Sports Specialty Association (USSSA) and two from US Club Soccer. A total of 28 teams are first-time entries into qualifying.

To fans of the US Open Cup, there will be some familiar teams in the tournament with 12 teams that qualified for the 2016 US Open Cup returning for a shot at qualifying for 2017.

La Maquina, who advanced to the Fourth Round before falling to the Los Angeles Galaxy in extra time, will be back. Other returning teams include Outbreak FC (Long Beach, CA), LA Wolves FC (Torrance, CA), Harpo’s FC (Boulder, CO), Boca Raton FC (Pembroke Pines, FL), Motagua New Orleans (New Orleans, LA), Southie FC (Roxbury Crossing, MA), Lansdowne Bhoys FC (Yonkers, NY), New York Pancyprian Freedoms (Jamaica, NY), West Chester United (West Chester, PA), North Texas Rayados (Dallas, TX), and Aromas Cafe FC (Charlottesville, VA)

Three former champions will also be among the 64 entries. The New York Greek Americans SC (1967-69, 1974), the New York Pancyprian Freedoms (1980, 1982-83) and El Farolito (then known as CD Mexico in 1993).

This is the second year that the federation has managed the open division qualifying tournament. Prior to 2015, the open division teams were determined by state and regional tournaments. Last year, there were problems involving roster rules and travel limitations for some clubs that led to multiple forfeits.

2017 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Open Division Local Qualifying Schedule

First Qualifying Round

Date	Game	Time/Result	Venue
Sept. 10	Brick Lions FC (N.J.) at Vereinigung Erzgebirge (Pa.)	2:30 p.m. ET	Vereinigung Erzgebirge; Warminster, Pa.
Sept. 10	Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks FC (Md.) at Christos FC (Md.)	7 p.m. ET	Troy Park; Elkridge, Md.
Sept. 10	Rising Stars FC (Pa.) at Junior Lone Star FC (Pa.)	7 p.m. ET	Monsingnor Bonner High School; Drexel Hill, Pa.
Sept. 10	Salone FC (Pa.) at West Chester United SC (Pa.)	7:30 p.m. ET	West Chester United SC Turf Field; West Chester, Pa.
Sept. 10	New York Pancyprian Freedoms (N.Y.) at Lansdowne Bhoys (N.Y.)	8 p.m. ET	Tibbetts Brooke Park; Yonkers, N.Y.
Sept. 11	Newtown Pride FC (Conn.) at Newport FC (R.I.)	9:30 a.m. ET	Gardiner Seveney Field; Portsmouth, R.I.
Sept. 11	GPS Omens (Mass.) at Southie FC (Mass.)	12 p.m. ET	Madison Park; Roxbury Crossing, Mass.
Sept. 11	New York Greek American SC (N.Y.) at FC Motown (N.J.)	7 p.m. ET	Athenia Steel Park; Clifton, N.J.
Sept. 17	Davis Legacy (Calif.) at El Farolito (Calif.)	11 a.m. PT	Boxer Stadium; San Francisco, Calif.
Sept. 17	Ann Arbor FC (Mich.) at Oakland County FC (Mich.)	6 p.m. ET	Stoney Creek High School; Rochester Hills, Mich.
Sept. 17	Moreno Valley Fútbol Club (Calif.) at HD Rush FC (Calif.)	3 p.m. PT	University Preparatory School; Victorville, Calif.
Sept. 17	Colorado Rovers (Colo.) at Harpo’s FC (Colo.)	5 p.m. MT	Dicks Sporting Goods Park; Commerce City, Colo.
Sept. 17	Celtic Cowboys Premier (Texas) at NTX Rayados (Texas)	7:30 p.m. CT	Richland College; Dallas, Texas
Sept. 17	Azteca FC (Colo.) at FC Denver (Colo.)	6:30 p.m. MT	Aurora Sports Park; Aurora, Colo.
Sept. 17	Del Rey City Soccer Club (Calif.) at FC Hasental (Calif.)	7 p.m. PT	Chaminade College Preparatory; Canoga Park, Calif.
Sept. 17	Orange County FC (Calif.) at La Máquina FC (Calif.)	7 p.m. PT	Westminster High School; Westminster, Calif.
Sept. 17	Avalanche USA FC (Calif.) at Inland Empire FC (Calif.)	7:30 p.m. PT	Rancho Jurupa Regional Sports Park; Jurupa Valley, Calif.
Sept. 17	OC Crew Soccer Club (Calif.) at Ozzy’s Laguna FC (Calif.)	8 p.m. PT	Santa Ana Stadium; Santa Ana, Calif.
Sept. 18	Outbreak FC (Calif.) at Buena Park FC (Calif.)	11 a.m. PT	John F. Kennedy High School; La Palma, Calif.
Sept. 18	Hurricane FC (Fla.) at Miami Dade FC (Fla.)	3 p.m. ET	Tropical Park Stadium; Miami, Fla.
Sept. 18	Red Force FC (Fla.) at Miami Nacional Soccer Club (Fla.)	4 p.m. ET	Lauderhill Sports Complex; Lauderhill, Fla.
Sept. 18	FC Boulder (Colo.) at Colorado Rush (Colo.)	3 p.m. MT	Addenbrooke Soccer Complex; Lakewood, Colo.
Sept. 18	L.A. Wolves FC (Calif.) at Real Sociedad Royals (Calif.)	4:30 p.m. PT	St. John Bosco Football Stadium; Bellflower, Calif.
Sept. 18	Valley United SC (Calif.) at SFV Scorpions SC (Calif.)	5 p.m. PT	Alemony High School; Mission Hills, Calif.
Sept. 18	AC Brea Steaua (Calif.) at Strikers FC South Coast (Calif.)	6:30 p.m. PT	Lake Forest Sports Park; Lake Forest, Calif.
Sept. 18	Chula Vista FC (Calif.) at Frontera United (Ariz.)	7 p.m. MST	Desert Sun Stadium; Yuma, Ariz.
Sept. 18	Las Vegas High Rollers SC (Nev.) at Anahuac FC (Nev.)	7 p.m. PT	Sports Park; Las Vegas, Nev.
Sept. 18	La Habra City FC (Calif.) at Santa Ana Winds FC (Calif.)	7:30 p.m. PT	Lake Forest Sports Park; Lake Forest, Calif.

Teams with byes in First Qualifying Round (8): Aromas Café FC (Va.); Boca Raton Football Club (Fla.); IPS/Marathon Taverna (Ore.); Minneapolis City SC (Minn.); MF 10 (Nev.); Motagua New Orleans (La.); Tartan Devils Oak Avalon (Pa.); Uruguay Kendall FC (Fla.)

Second Qualifying Round

Date	Game	Time	Venue
Oct. 15-16	New York Pancyprian Freedoms (N.Y.)/Lansdowne Bhoys (N.Y.) winner at New York Greek American SC (N.Y.)/FC Motown (N.J.) winner	TBD	TBD
Oct. 15-16	Salone FC (Pa.)/West Chester United SC (Pa.) winner at Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks FC (Md.)/Christos FC (Md.) winner	TBD	TBD
Oct. 15-16	Rising Stars FC (Pa.)/Junior Lone Star FC (Pa.) winner at Brick Lions FC (N.J.)/Vereinigung Erzgebirge (Pa.) winner	TBD	TBD
Oct. 15-16	GPS Omens (Mass.)/Southie FC (Mass.) winner at Newtown Pride FC (Conn.)/Newport FC (R.I.) winner	TBD	TBD
Oct. 16	Aromas Café FC (Va.) at Tartan Devils Oak Avalon (Pa.)	3 p.m. ET	Highmark Stadium; Pittsburgh, Pa.
Oct. 22	Ann Arbor FC (Mich.)/Oakland County FC (Mich.) winner at Minneapolis City SC (Minn.)	2:30 p.m. CT	National Sports Center – Field U2; Blaine, Minn.
Oct. 22	FC Boulder (Colo.)/Colorado Rush (Colo.) winner at IPS/Marathon Taverna (Ore.)	7 p.m. PT	Delta Park; Portland, Ore.
Oct. 22-23	Motagua New Orleans (La.) at Celtic Cowboys Premier (Texas)/NTX Rayados (Texas) winner	TBD	TBD
Oct. 22-23	Azteca FC (Colo.)/FC Denver (Colo.) winner at Colorado Rovers (Colo.)/Harpo’s FC (Colo.) winner	TBD	TBD
Oct. 22-23	Boca Raton Football Club (Fla.) at Hurricane FC (Fla.)/Miami Dade FC (Fla.) winner	TBD	TBD
Oct. 22-23	MF 10 (Nev.) at Las Vegas High Rollers SC (Nev.)/Anahuac FC (Nev.) winner	TBD	TBD
Oct. 22-23	La Habra City FC (Calif.)/Santa Ana Winds FC (Calif.) winner at Orange County FC (Calif.)/La Máquina FC (Calif.) winner	TBD	TBD
Oct. 22-23	Outbreak FC (Calif.)/Buena Park FC (Calif.) winner at Valley United SC (Calif.)/SFV Scorpions SC (Calif.) winner	TBD	TBD
Oct. 22-23	OC Crew Soccer Club (Calif.)/Ozzy’s Laguna FC (Calif.) winner at Moreno Valley Fútbol Club (Calif.)/HD Rush FC (Calif.) winner	TBD	TBD
Oct. 22-23	L.A. Wolves FC (Calif.)/Real Sociedad Royals (Calif.) winner at Avalanche USA FC (Calif.)/Inland Empire FC (Calif.) winner	TBD	TBD
Oct. 22-23	Chula Vista FC (Calif.)/Frontera United (Ariz.) winner at Del Rey City Soccer Club (Calif.)/FC Hasental (Calif.) winner	TBD	TBD
Oct. 22-23	Davis Legacy (Calif.)/El Farolito (Calif.) winner at AC Brea Steaua (Calif.)/Strikers FC South Coast (Calif.) winner	TBD	TBD
Oct. 23	Red Force FC (Fla.)/Miami Nacional Soccer Club (Fla.) winner at Uruguay Kendall FC (Fla.)	7 p.m. ET	Tropical Park Stadium; Miami, Fla.

Third Qualifying Round: Nov. 19-20

Fourth Qualifying Round (if needed): March 11-12, 2017

Fifth Qualifying Round (if needed): April 8-9, 2017

First Round: May 10, 2017 (date tentative)

2017 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
Open Division Teams Entering via the Local Qualifying Track
Listed by State (Region) and League (Sanctioning Body) Affiliation

Arizona
United Premier Soccer League (Calif. State Soccer Assn.-South/USASA)
Frontera United Yuma, Ariz.

California (North)
NorCal Adult Premier League (US Club Soccer)
Davis Legacy Davis, Calif.

San Francisco Soccer Football League (Calif. Soccer Assn.-North/USASA)

El Farolito San Francisco, Calif.

California (South)
So Cal Premier League (Calif. State Soccer Assn.-South/USASA)
AC Brea Steaua                                              Brea, Calif.
Buena Park FC                                               La Palma, Calif.
Chula Vista FC                                               Chula Vista, Calif.
Orange County FC                                          Rancho Santa Margarita, Calif.
Outbreak FC*                                                  Long Beach, Calif.
Real Sociedad Royals Bellflower, Calif.

United Premier Soccer League (Calif. State Soccer Assn.-South/USASA)
Avalanche USA FC Glendora, Calif.
Del Rey City SC Culver City, Calif.
FC Hasental                                                  Canoga Park, Calif.
HD Rush FC                                                  Victorville, Calif.
Inland Empire FC                                          Jurupa Valley, Calif.
La Habra City FC                                          Lake Forest, Calif.
La Máquina* Lake Forest, Calif.
L.A. Wolves FC* Torrance, Calif.
Moreno Valley Fútbol Club                            Moreno Valley, Calif.
OC Crew Soccer Club                                   Lake Forest, Calif.
Ozzy’s Laguna FC Santa Ana, Calif.
Santa Ana Winds FC Lake Forest, Calif.
SFV Scorpions SC                                         Mission Hills, Calif.
Strikers FC South Coast                                 Lake Forest, Calif.
Valley United SC                                            North Hills, Calif.

Colorado
Colorado Amateur Soccer League (U.S. Specialty Sports Assn.)
Azteca FC                                                       Aurora, Colo.
Colorado Rovers                                             Commerce City, Colo.
Colorado Rush                                                Lakewood, Colo.
FC Boulder                                                      Boulder, Colo.
FC Denver                                                       Aurora, Colo.
Harpo’s FC*                                                    Commerce City, Colo.

Connecticut
Connecticut Soccer League (Conn. State Soccer Assn./USASA)
Newtown Pride FC Meriden, Conn.

Florida
American Premier Soccer League (Florida State Soccer Assn./USASA)
Boca Raton Football Club*                              Pembroke Pines, Fla.
Hurricane FC                            Cocnut Creek, Fla.
Miami Dade FC                                                Miami, Fla.
Miami Nacional Soccer Club                            Lauderhill, Fla.
Red Force FC                                                   Miami, Fla.
Uruguay Kendall FC Miami, Fla.

Louisiana
Gulf Coast Premier League (Louisiana Soccer Assn./USASA)
Motagua New Orleans* New Orleans, La.

Maryland
Maryland Major Soccer League (Md. State Soccer Assn./USASA)
Christos FC Elkridge, Md.

Washington Premier League (Md. State Soccer Assn./USASA)
Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks FC Boyds, Md.

Massachusetts
Bay State Soccer League (Mass. Adult State Soccer Assn./USASA)
Global Premier Soccer (GPS) Omens Wayland, Mass.
Southie FC* Roxbury Crossing, Mass.

Michigan
Ann Arbor Premier Development League (Michigan Soccer Association/USASA)
Ann Arbor FC Saline, Mich.

Premier League of America (USASA)
Oakland County FC Rochester Hills, Mich.

Minnesota
Premier League of America (USASA)
Minneapolis City SC Blaine, Minn.

Nevada
United Premier Soccer League (Calif. State Soccer Assn.-South/USASA)
Anahuac FC                  Las Vegas, Nev.
Las Vegas Highrollers SC                             Las Vegas, Nev.
MF 10                                                            Las Vegas, Nev.

New Jersey
Garden State Soccer League (New Jersey Soccer Assn./USASA)
Brick Lions FC Brick, N.J.
FC Motown Clifton, N.J.

New York
Cosmopolitan Soccer League (Eastern New Youth State Soccer Assn./USASA)
Lansdowne Bhoys FC*       Yonkers, N.Y.
New York Greek American SC^                   Maspeth, N.Y.
New York Pancyprian Freedoms*#               Jamaica, N.Y.

Oregon
Oregon Premier Soccer League (Oregon Adult Soccer Assn./USASA)
International Portland Select (IPS)/Marathon Taverna Portland, Ore.

Pennsylvania
Greater Pittsburgh Soccer League (Pa. West Soccer Assn./USASA)
Tartan Devils Oak Avalon Pittsburgh, Pa.

Philadelphia Premier Soccer League (Eastern Pa. Soccer Assn./USASA)
Junior Lone Star FC Drexel Hill, Pa.
Rising Stars FC Drexel Hill, Pa.
Salone FC Drexel Hill, Pa.

United Soccer League of Pennsylvania (Eastern Pa. Soccer Assn./USASA)
Vereinigung Erzgebirge Warminster, Pa.
West Chester United* West Chester, Pa.

Rhode Island
USA Soccer League (US Club Soccer)
Newport FC Portsmouth, R.I.

Texas
Austin Men’s Soccer Association (U.S. Specialty Sports Assn.)
Celtic Cowboys Premier Austin, Texas

North Texas Premier Soccer Association (North Texas Soccer Assn./USASA)
NTX Rayados* Dallas, Texas

Virginia
Soccer Organization of the Charlottesville Area (Metro D.C.-Va. Soccer Assn./USASA)
Aromas Café FC* Charlottesville, Va.

* Advanced to 2016 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
^ Four-time U.S. Open Cup Champion (1967-69, 1974)
# Three-time U.S. Open Cup Champion (1980, 1982-83)

Facts and Figures of Open Division Teams Entering via the Local Qualifying Track:

23 different leagues represented (including 3 new leagues added this year)
18 different states represented (including 4 new states added this year)
23 teams entering from California alone (21 from Southern Calif., 2 from Northern Calif.)
6 teams each from Colorado, Florida and Pennsylvania
3 teams from Nevada and New York
2 teams each from Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey and Texas
1 team each from Arizona, Connecticut, Louisiana, Minnesota, Oregon, Rhode Island and Virginia
12 teams entering 2017 Open Division local qualifying reached the 2016 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup first round; 7 of these reached the second round; 3 of these reached the third round
La Máquina (Lake Forest, Calif.) advanced to the fourth round of the 2016 Open Cup and battled MLS powerhouse LA Galaxy in a game that went to overtime before losing controversially
The 64 teams entering local qualifying breaks the record of 56 set last year
36 teams are veterans of Open Division local qualifying, having participated in the inaugural competition last year
28 teams are entering Open Division local qualifying for the first time
55 teams are from U.S. Adult Soccer Association-affiliated leagues
7 teams are from U.S. Specialty Sports Association-affiliated leagues
2 teams are from US Club Soccer-affiliated leagues
New York Greek American SC is a four-time U.S. Open Cup Champion (1967-69, 1974)
New York Pancyprian Freedoms are a three-time U.S. Open Cup Champion (1980, 1982-83)

2017 U.S. Open Cup Competition Calendar for Open Division Local Qualifying Entries

Key Dates in 2016:
Monday, Aug. 22 (4 p.m. CT) – Fall roster submission deadline for teams participating through the Open Division local qualifying track (22 player limit, no additions allowed after the deadline)
Friday, Sept. 2 (4 p.m. CT) – Roster approval/clearance deadline for first qualifying round (players must be approved by their team’s league and cleared by U.S. Soccer to play)
Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 10-11 – First qualifying round for teams in Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states (from Maine to Virginia and West Virginia)
Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 17-18 – First qualifying round for teams in all other states
Friday, Oct. 7 (4 p.m. CT) – Roster approval/clearance deadline for second and third qualifying rounds
Saturday-Sunday, Oct. 15-16 – Second qualifying round for teams in Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states
Saturday-Sunday, Oct. 22-23 – Second qualifying round for teams in all other states
Saturday-Sunday, Nov. 19-20 – Third qualifying round for all teams

Key Dates in 2017:
January date TBD – Final allocation determined for Open Division slots into 2017 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
Wednesday, Jan. 4 (2 p.m. CT) – Home Game Application deadline for fourth and fifth qualifying rounds (if needed)
January date TBD – Matchups for fourth qualifying round (if needed) and bracket for fifth qualifying round (if needed) announced
Monday, Feb. 27 (4 p.m. CT) – Spring roster submission deadline for teams still alive through the Open Division local qualifying track (teams may add up to five new players to their Fall roster who are not already cup-tied; 22 player limit remains)
Friday, March 3 (4 p.m. CT) – Spring roster approval/clearance deadline for Open Division local qualifiers (rosters for these teams will be frozen through June 30 to include the opening rounds of the 2017 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup)
Saturday-Sunday, March 11-12 – Fourth qualifying round (if needed)
Wednesday, March 22 – Venue Declaration Form deadline for teams wishing to host games in the 2017 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
Friday, March 31 (2 p.m. CT) – Home Game Application deadline for First, Second and Third Rounds of the 2017 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
Saturday-Sunday, April 8-9 (if needed) – Fifth qualifying round (if needed)
Wednesday, April 12 – 2017 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup First Round pairings and Second Round possible matchups announced
Wednesday, May 10 – 2017 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup First Round (date tentative); Dates for remaining rounds of the competition will be determined by January 2017
Saturday, July 1-Friday, July 14 (4 p.m. CT) – Summer roster changeover period for Open Division local qualifiers still in the competition (teams may add up to five new players to their Spring roster who are not already cup-tied; 22 player limit remains)

Who is eligible for the 2017 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup?

July 31, 2016 by Ian Foster

GPS Omens and Southie FC square off in 2016 US Open Cup qualifying at Lawrence Veterans Memorial Stadium in Lawrence, Mass.

The deadline, August 1, for amateur teams not in NPSL and PDL to apply for the US Open Cup is approaching. A quick rundown of the eligibility guidelines and procedures:

Who’s Eligible?

According to Section 202 of the 2017 US Open Cup Handbook, Open Division teams must play in a USSF Organization Member league with at least four teams and at least ten games played per year. Further, any team or league playing its first season must have started its league games by July 2 (30 days before the application deadline).

Any amateur team that meets those guidelines is welcome to apply to enter the Open Cup. However, teams that are registered as professional teams and share ownership with a professional team operating in a higher division (such as Minnesota United Reserves in the Premier League of America) would not be eligible.

Hosting Requirements

But it is not enough to send USSF the $200 fee to enter the Open Cup by August 1. Teams are also required to, by August 5, send USSF their application to host the Qualifying games. A team that is drawn to host a qualifying game is required to do so. For Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states, these venues must be available for both September 10-11 and October 15-16, since that is when their first and second qualifying rounds will take place. Teams in all other states must secure venues for September 17-18 and October 22-23.

The field requirements include:

Minimum size 100 yards by 65 yards
Regulation-size goals and corner flags
A safe playing surface as judged by the match referee
Three soccer balls

Further, the home team must pay the referee fees of $320 per match.

Which NPSL teams will qualify for the 2017 US Open Cup?

July 18, 2016 by Ian Foster

UPDATE (7/21): New Jersey Copa FC upset New York Cosmos B 1-0 and Clarskburg SC Eagles defeated Legacy 76 1-0 to reach the NPSL Quarterfinals, pushing Fredericksburg FC, Legacy 76, New York Cosmos B, and Boston City FC down.

UPDATE (7/25): AFC Cleveland and Grand Rapids FC advanced to the quarterfinals in Friday’s matches.

UPDATE (2/7/2017): Myrtle Beach Mutiny, listed at #11 below, has moved to the PDL. This makes it unlikely that they would occupy one of NPSL’s Open Cup slots, which would move the Atlanta Silverbacks up to #11 and leave the #18 slot to Jacksonville Armada U-23.

With the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) playoffs already underway, let’s take a look at the probable and possible qualifiers to next year’s Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

According to the 2017 US Open Cup Handbook, the qualifying process for the NPSL, which are based on the previous season’s results, will be very similar to last year’s.

The number of NPSL teams that will be invited to the tournament is still up in the air, but a good estimate would put the number in the same neighborhood as 2016. Since the NPSL started receiving its own dedicated spots in the tournament in 2011, the league has slowly received more and more entries beginning with four in 2011, and last year 15 teams punched their ticket to the tournament.

Estimates aside, the eight NPSL quarterfinalists are guaranteed a spot if they want it (Note: Some teams have declined invitations in the past).

Here is a quick rundown of what we know so far with the NPSL teams we will likely see in #USOC2017:

NPSL

The NPSL’s qualifying process is somewhat less straightforward. Unlike the PDL, playoff results do matter, and the teams that make the quarterfinals (aka the Regional Finals) are slotted 1-8. Beyond that, Open Cup berths are awarded based on region size, points-per-game (unlike the PDL, teams do not play an equal amount of games across NPSL), and whether a team from your conference made the quarterfinals.

A word of advice to NPSL teams: try to make the quarterfinals. If you don’t, whether you make the Open Cup or not will be based on some pretty complex criteria. Thankfully, USSF invited 15 NPSL teams last year, and they’re not usually one to curtail amateur participation.

That said, these teams have made the quarterfinals:

Chattanooga FC (Semifinalist, Southeast Conference Winner)

It will be Chattanooga’s fifth consecutive Open Cup appearance, where they’ve made a living off beating the Wilmington Hammerheads in the Second Round. They received their first-ever bye to the Second Round this year after losing last year’s championship game to New York Cosmos B, who decided not to participate in this year’s competition (or were removed because they are a pro team owned by a higher division pro team — New York Cosmos — which is now outlawed by the federation, depending on your viewpoint).

Chattanooga still have a lot on their to-do list and adding to their Open Cup resume is right up there with winning an NPSL title after finishing runner-up four times.

AFC Cleveland (Semifinalist, Winner, Great Lakes East Conference)

AFC Cleveland will make their 2nd consecutive US Open Cup appearance next year after persevering in penalties against AFC Ann Arbor on Friday. They continue their run in the NPSL season after winning in penalties again, this time over Grand Rapids FC, to reach the NPSL semifinals.

They’ll hope to improve on their Open Cup run from this year, where they defeated GPS Portland Phoenix (PDL) before falling to Saint Louis FC (USL) in the second round.

Sonoma County Sol (Semifinalist, Golden Gate Conference Winner)

Albion’s opponent in the Western Region Final advanced to the NPSL quarterfinals after narrowly topping teams like CD Aguiluchos USA and the Sacramento Gold in this year’s Golden Gate Conference. Sonoma County Sol seeks their sixth Open Cup appearance and their second NPSL title. Their first title came in an eventful 2009 for Sonoma County, as they advanced to the Second Round of the Open Cup after beating Orange County Blue Star (PDL).

Clarkstown SC Eagles (Semifinalist, Keystone Conference Winner)

The Eagles qualified for their second consecutive US Open Cup after defeating Legacy 76 1-0 in the Northeast Region semifinals. The club, formerly known as the Jersey City Eagles, will look for their first-ever US Open Cup win next year, as they fell to Jersey Express (PDL) 2-1 this year.

5. Miami United FC (Quarterfinalist, Sunshine Conference Winner)

Miami United will be invited to their second Open Cup in three years after dominating the Sunshine Conference (winning by nine points after a 9-1-0 record) and beating the Atlanta Silverbacks in the Southern Region semifinals. They beat the Southwest Florida Adrenaline (PDL) in the first round of the 2015 competition before succumbing to USL’s Charleston Battery.

6. Albion SC Pros (Quarterfinalist, Southwest Conference Winner)

A nerve-wracking penalty shootout win over Conference rival SoCal SC and a 2-1 victory over the newly-named OSA FC were enough to get this San Diego-based expansion team into its first-ever US Open Cup, should they choose to accept the invitation.

7. Grand Rapids FC (Quarterfinalist, Winner, Great Lakes West Conference)

The team qualified for their first-ever US Open Cup in just their second season of play, and their first season in the NPSL, with a 1-0 Midwest playoff victory over Indy Eleven NPSL. Their season was cut short at home later in the weekend by AFC Cleveland, but the performance was likely enough to earn them a berth. The club will enter the 104th edition of the US Open Cup as one of the best supported amateur clubs in the country. They averaged more than 4,000 fans per game during the regular season.

8. New Jersey Copa FC (Quarterfinalist, Keystone Conference 2nd Place)

It has already been an exciting run for the expansion team based out of Metuchen, New Jersey. First, they qualified for the Northeast Regional Playoffs by only two points over Junior Lone Star FC. In the first round of those playoffs, they outlasted Mid-Atlantic Conference Champion Fredericksburg FC in a 9-8 penalty shootout. Then on Wednesday, they went on the road to dispatch the defending NPSL Champions, one of NPSL’s few professional teams, New York Cosmos B.

They will naturally be making their first-ever US Open Cup appearance.

As for how the NPSL invitee list will shake out, teams 9-30 will be ordered first by region, then by if a particular conference has received a bid yet, then by points-per-game. It’s convoluted but the large team disparity between regions makes it necessary (the South Region has 31 teams, the Northeast 22, the West 14, and the Midwest just 13).

It only took me three hours to figure it out, but here’s the definitive bid order list. The bolded teams with histories will be invited if USSF again invites 15 teams:

Tulsa Atheltics (South Region, Winner, South Central Conference)

Founded: 2005

Open Cup Appearances: 2

Last Appearance: 2015

Best Finish: Second Round (2014)

Notable wins: None (winless in the competition)

New York Cosmos B (Northeast Region, Winner, Atlantic Conference)

Founded: 2015

Open Cup Appearances: 0 (refused entry to 2016 edition, more on this later)

NOTE: Since the Cosmos B are a professional team owned by a higher division pro team (NY Cosmos), then based on the new rules, they aren’t eligible. However, the federation has never officially announced that they are ineligible. We are awaiting confirmation.

Atlanta Silverbacks (South Region, 1.9 ppg)

Founded: 1998

Open Cup Appearances: 13 (Including many as a professional team)

Last Open Cup Appearance: 2016

Best Finish: Quarterfinals (2014)

Notable wins: 2014 over Real Salt Lake and Colorado Rapids (while part of NASL)

Houston Dutch Lions (South Region, 2.42 ppg)

Founded: 2011

Open Cup Appearances: 0

Fredericksburg FC (Northeast Region, Mid-Atlantic Conference winner)

Founded: 2013

Open Cup Appearances: 1

Last Appearance: 2016

Best Finish: First Round (2016)

Notable wins: None

OSA FC (West Region, Winner, Northwest Conference)

Founded: 2014

Open Cup Appearances: 1

Last Open Cup Appearance: 2015

Best Finish: First Round (2015)

Notable wins: None

FC Wichita (South Region, 2.33 ppg)

Founded: 2013

Open Cup Appearances: 1

Last Open Cup Appearance: 1

Best Finish: First Round (2016)

Notable wins: None

Indy Eleven NPSL (Midwest Region, 1.9 ppg)
Legacy 76 (Northeast Region, 2.00 ppg, +7 goal difference)
Jacksonville Armada U-23s (South Region, 1.8 ppg, 1-1 tie with Miami Fusion FC, 5 wins, +13 goal differential in Sunshine Conference)
Boston City FC (Northeast Region, 2.00 ppg, +3 goal difference)
Miami Fusion FC (South Region, 1.8 ppg, 1-1 tie with Armada U-23, 5 wins, +12 goal differential in Sunshine Conference)
North County Battalion (West Region, 2.00 ppg)
AFC Ann Arbor (Midwest Region, 1.75 ppg)
Memphis City FC (South Region, 1.7 ppg)
Virginia Beach City FC (Northeast Region, 1.8 ppg)
Dallas City FC (South Region, 1.58 ppg, 2-1 regular season win over Liverpool Warriors)
Deportivo Coras USA (West Region, 1.92 ppg)
Junior Lone Star FC (Northeast Region, 1.75 ppg)
Liverpool Warriors (South Region, 1.58 ppg)
FC Buffalo (Midwest Region, 1.7 ppg)
Rhode Island Reds (Northeast Region, 1.56 ppg)

Now there’s a little more flexibility in the NPSL than there is in the PDL. Last year, four teams couldn’t make the Open Cup. Cosmos B declined their invitation, the San Diego Flash folded, the Madison 56ers left for the Premier League of America, and New York Athletic Club forfeited their spot after forfeiting an NPSL playoff game. In all, the NPSL invite list stretched all the way down to 19 last year.

One quick note: if someone does back out of the Open Cup, like the Cosmos are likely to again, the open spot would not go to the next team in the Region. Last year, it went to the next team in the master list. So if USSF invites 15 teams again, and Cosmos B backs out, the open bid would not go to Legacy 76, it would go to Indy Eleven NPSL. This is indeed the exact situation that allowed Detroit City FC entry this year.

(Addendum, July 21st) However, last year it was announced in November that Cosmos B would withdraw, implying that they went through the application process last July. Every team’s inclusion is predicated on their application to the Open Cup, which is due on August 1st. So if Cosmos B doesn’t bother to apply in the first place then USSF, who prioritizes representation from each conference, may bump up Boston City FC to “Conference Champion” status.

Which PDL teams will qualify for the 2017 US Open Cup?

July 18, 2016 by Ian Foster

UPDATE (2/7/2017): The Midland/Odessa Sockers have moved to NPSL, making it unlikely that they would occupy one of PDL’s Open Cup slots. They would vacate the 15th position to the team below them (FC Golden State Force) and everyone below them would move up one slot.

With the Premier Development League (PDL) playoffs kicking off today, let’s take a look at the probable and possible qualifiers to next year’s Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

According to the 2017 US Open Cup Handbook, the qualifying process for the PDL, which are based on the previous season’s results, will be very similar to last year’s.

The number of PDL teams that will be invited to the tournament is still up in the air, but a good estimate would put the number in the same neighborhood as 2016. For the last three tournaments, US Soccer has invited 19 PDL teams.

Estimates aside, the 10 PDL division winners are guaranteed a spot if they want it (Note: Some teams have declined invitations in the past).

Here is a quick rundown, first of the PDL’s Division Winners who will in all likelihood automatically qualify:

PDL

Michigan Bucks, Great Lakes Division winner

The US-based competition was not stiff for this perennial US Open Cup entrant. They scored 45 goals and only allowed 7 in league play on their way to winning the Great Lakes Division by 2 points over K-W United. Their closest American rival were the Derby City Rovers, who finished 13 points out of first.

The Bucks are the most successful amateur teams in the Modern Era of the tournament, having upset more professional teams, by far, than any other teams at their level. Among the nine pro teams that they have eliminated, two of them were Major League Soccer teams: the New England Revolution in Foxborough in 2000 and the Chicago Fire at home in 2012. No amateur team has upset more than one MLS team.

FC Tucson, Southwest Division winner

In the end, it was a comfortable six-point Southwest Division win for FC Tucson, who’s slated to make their third consecutive US Open Cup appearance. Their best showing was in 2013, when they advanced past the NASL’s San Antonio Scorpions in penalties before falling to the Houston Dynamo (MLS). Before too long, they could end up making the Open Cup more consistently if the USL rumors are true.

Charlotte Eagles, South Atlantic Division winner

It will be the Eagles’ second consecutive Open Cup appearance as a PDL team, as they edged out Greensboro’s Carolina Dynamo by three points for the division win. They will hope to follow up on their first-round win this year over the Myrtle Beach Mutiny, which brought them to a date with intra-city USL rival Charlotte Independence.

The Eagles are one of the oldest continuously operating soccer teams in the Southeast, having been around 1991. They have been a professional team through the 2014 season, and did not have a strong Open Cup resume until 2012 when they made a run to the Quarterfinals after beating FC Dallas (MLS) and the San Antonio Scorpions (NASL) on the road.

Des Moines Menace, Heartland Division winner

Des Moines will make their fifth consecutive US Open Cup appearance (7th straight if you include the club’s USASA team that qualified in 2011 and 2014) after their third consecutive Heartland Division title. The well-supported Iowan team has won a game in each of their last four Open Cup appearances, notably beating USL’s Tulsa Roughnecks this year and Minnesota United (NASL) in 2013.

Their best Open Cup run came in 2005, as they reached the fourth round after beating the Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USL-2), Charleston Battery (USL-1), and Atlanta Silverbacks (USL-1) in that order before succumbing to the then-named Kansas City Wizards (MLS).

Reading United AC, Mid Atlantic Division winner

Though Reading, the PDL affiliate of the Philadelphia Union (MLS), will be participating in their ninth consecutive Open Cup, which is a Modern Era record for amateur teams. They will punch their ticket on the strength of their first division championship in six years. They lost to the NPSL’s Chattanooga FC in the second round this year, but have cleared their first Open Cup game every year since 2012, with their biggest victory coming in 2013 against USL’s Harrisburg City Islanders. If Reading wins their tournament opener in 2017, they will break the Modern Era record for consecutive opening round wins by an amateur team.

Oklahoma City Energy U-23, Mid South Division winner

Oklahoma City Energy’s (USL) youth team will qualify for the Open Cup in their first-ever season after beating out teams like the Mississippi Brilla and the Albuquerque Sol to claim this year’s Mid South championship.

Fresno Fuego, Central Pacific Division winner

After a two-year absence, the most-supported team in the PDL will return to the Open Cup after dominating the Central Pacific Division by seven points. Their Open Cup highlights include a Second Round victory over the USL’s Orange County Blues and a run to the Fourth Round in their inaugural season in 2003.

The Villages SC, Southeast Division winner

The club formerly known as the Ocala Stampede is expected to make its third straight appearance in 2017. They edged out the Southeast Division by a single point over the South Florida Surf. It rounds out an eventful rebranding season for The Villages, who beat the Charleston Battery (USL) in the Second Round this year, only for the result to be overturned due to the use of an ineligible player.

GPS Portland Phoenix, Northeast Division Winner

The Maine-based club will enter their second Open Cup in a row (5 of last 6 years) looking for their second-ever win in the competition. The first victory came against Mass Premier Soccer (USASA) in the opening round of the 2013 Open Cup. It was another dramatic finish to win the division. Last year, they beat out the Seacoast United Phantoms on the strength of head-to-head results, but this year, they defeated the Western Mass Pioneers on the final day of the season to clinch the Northeast Division title.

The tenth PDL division, the Northwest Division, was actually won by a Canadian team, Calgary Foothills FC. While the US Open Cup handbook states that the Division Winners are ranked 1-10, it is unclear if the Seattle Sounders Under-23 side, who finished in second with 24 points, would claim that division title role. If they do, they make the Open Cup safely. If not, they have to sweat it out with the rest of the 24-point teams. For the purposes of this article, the Sounders U-23 team will assume that tenth division winner slot.

Per the handbook, each team that does not win its division is ranked by points, wins, goal differential, and goals scored in that order. Since the USSF has invited 19 PDL teams in the past, it is likely the following teams, which are ranked by USSF’s guidelines, will also be invited:

Carolina Dynamo (31 points)

Founded: 1993

Open Cup appearances: 11

Last Open Cup appearance: 2014

Best Finish: Quarterfinals (1996 as A-League team)

Notable wins (pro team 1995-2003):
1996 Round 2: 1-0 vs New York Centaurs (A-League)
1999 Round 2: 2-0 at Orange County Zodiac (A-League)
2006 Round 2: 1-0 vs Richmond Kickers (USL-2)
2006 Round 3: 3-2 (AET) vs Seattle Sounders (USL-1)

San Diego Zest FC (29 points)

Founded: 2016

Open Cup Appearances: 0

South Florida Surf (28 points)

Founded: 2016

Open Cup Appearances: 0

Ocean City Nor’Easters (27 points, 9 wins)

Founded: 1996

Open Cup Appearances: 7

Last Open Cup Appearance: 2014

Best Finish: Third Round (2005, 2009, 2013)

Notable wins:
2005 Round 2: 4-0 vs Long Island Rough Riders (USL-2)
2007 Round 1: 1-0 at Crystal Palace Baltimore (USL-2)
2009 Round 1: 3-0 vs Crystal Palace Baltimore (USL-2)
2009 Round 2: 1-0 (AET) vs Real Maryland Monarchs (USL-2)
2013 Round 2: 1-0 vs Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USL-Pro)

FC Golden State Force (26 points, 8 wins, +15 GD)

Founded: 2016

Open Cup Appearances: 0

Chicago Fire U-23s (26 points, 8 wins, +10 GD)

Founded: 2001

Open Cup Appearances: 4

Last Appearance: 2011

Best Finish: Third Round (2004)

Notable win:
2004 Round 2: 5-1 at New Hampshire Phantoms (PDL, now Seacoast United Phantoms)

Western Mass Pioneers (25 points)

Founded: 1998

Open Cup Appearances: 9

Last Appearance: 2015

Best Finish: Third Round (2005)

Notable wins:
2005 Round 2: 5-0 vs Reggae Boyz (USASA)

Ventura County Fusion (24 points, 7 wins, +6 GD)

Open Cup Appearances: 7 (Would be 8th consecutive)

Last Appearance: 2016

Best Finish: Third Round (2012, 2015)

Notable wins:
2012 Round 2: 3-1 (AET) at LA Blues (USL-Pro)
2015 Round 2: 2-1 at LA Galaxy II (USL)

If, for whatever reason, USSF takes fewer than 18 teams, the Fusion may be out of luck. However it’s more likely that USSF will either add PDL teams or some will drop out of the competition, opening the door for more entrants. Instability is not high at the top of the PDL, though, as only two teams that would have qualified (DC United U-23 and Ocala Stampede) dropped out, opening the door for last year’s Sounders and Timbers U-23 teams.

If any of that does happen, though, these PDL teams are next in line to qualify:

19. SC United Bantams (24 points, 7 wins, +2 GD)

20. Burlingame Dragons FC (23 points, +9 GD)

21. Derby City Rovers (23 points, 7 wins, +6 GD)

22. Baltimore Bohemians (23 points, 7 wins, +5 GD)

23. King’s Warriors (23 points, 7 wins, +2 GD)

24. FC Miami City Champions (22 points, 6 wins, +9 GD)

25. New York Red Bulls U-23 (22 points, 6 wins, +3 GD)

26. South Georgia Tormenta FC (21 points, 6 wins, +4 GD, 22 goals scored)

27. Floridians FC (21 points, 6 wins, +4 GD, 20 goals scored)

28. Long Island Rough Riders (21 points, 6 wins, +2 GD)

29. San Francisco City FC (20 points, 6 wins, +3 GD)

30. FC Boston (20 points, 6 wins, -2 GD)

31. Washington Crossfire (20 points, 5 wins, +2 GD)

Hopefully, that goes some way towards clearing a pretty muddy Open Cup qualifying process.