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2023 US Open Cup: Which NPSL teams could qualify?

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FC Motown 2022 US Open Cup AC Syracuse Pulse
Federico De Olivera of FC Motown celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal against AC Syracuse Pulse in the Second Round of the 2022 US Open Cup. Photo: Peter Bonilla

The 2022 National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) season has reached the Final Four. With the vast majority of the season completed, we can take a look at which teams will have the highest priority of qualifying for the 2022 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

How this list is made is determined by using the format outlined in the 2023 US Open Cup Open Division Handbook.

After years of either steady or increasing berth totals for teams between 2011 and 2018, the NPSL experienced its first decrease in tournament slots in 2019 going from 18 (22 after including last minute Play-in teams) to 14. This stayed steady for the 2020 tournament with 14 entrants before COVID-19 would cancel both the 2020 and 2021 tournaments.  It then decreased again with only 10 entrants in the 2022 tournament. With expansion coming across the board from all professional leagues, it would seem likely that the number of berths for both NPSL and USL League Two could go down again or at best remain level. The final allocation will not be determined until the professional leagues have finalized their entrants in early January 2023.

NPSL’s CLASSIFICATION RULES

Heading into the 2023 US Open Cup, the NPSL has 92 teams that are eligible for the competition divided into four regions: South (30), East (29), Midwest (18), and West (15).

The first eight possible berths are awarded to teams that advanced deep into the 2022 NPSL playoffs. Slots one and two are reserved for the champion and runner-up, respectively. Slots three and four are given to the teams that reached the semifinals and teams five through eight are held by the remaining quarterfinalists. Teams finishing at the same round will be ordered by regular season points per game. The Top 8 teams are:

  1. FC Motown (national champion)
  2. Crossfire Redmond (national runner-up)
  3. Muskegon Risers (national semifinalist, 2.6 PPG)
  4. Tulsa Athletic (national semifinalist, 2.42 PPG)
  5. Jacksonville Armada FC U-23 (regional finalist, 2.83 PPG)
  6. El Farolito (regional finalist, 2.4 PPG)
  7. Appalachian FC (regional finalist, 2.1 PPG)
  8. Cleveland SC (regional finalist, 2.08 PPG)

After that, the next spots are purely given out on a regular season points per game basis to the next team in the next region that gets a spot. This is ordered by the the number of teams in each region. For the 2023 Open Cup, it would go South, East, Midwest, West, South, East, Midwest, West, and so forth until every spot has been filled. If a team declines the spot or is ineligible to take any spot, the next team in the region ranking gets the spot. What this means is if, for example, 11 NPSL teams qualify for the 2023 Open Cup, it will be guaranteed to be 3 teams each from the South, East, and Midwest regions, and 2 teams from the West region, even if it’s a team much further down a regional ranking compared to a team from another region.

It’s near certain that teams listed in the top eight are all but guaranteed a spot in the 108th edition of the US Open Cup. But if there’s more, there could be a third team from each region. More than 12 teams is unlikely given the number of Open Division slots overall.

With all that out of the way, here are the 2022 NPSL US Open Cup berth rankings. This year we will give the rankings for each region, with 1st place being the regional champion, and 2nd place being the region runner up. The teams are then ordered by PPG, with the tiebreakers being average goal difference and then average goals scored.

x- Regional Champion, y- Regional runner-up

EAST REGION

Rank Team GP W L T GF GA GD Pts Pts/GP GD/GP GF/GP
1 x-FC Motown 10 7 1 2 32 13 19 23 2.3 1.9 3.2
2 y-Appalachian FC 10 6 1 3 25 12 13 21 2.1 1.3 2.5
3 Hartford City FC 10 8 0 2 21 8 13 26 2.6 1.3 2.1
4 Electric City Shock 10 7 1 2 29 10 19 23 2.3 1.9 2.9
5 Alexandria Reds 10 7 2 1 20 10 10 22 2.2 1 2
6 West Chester United SC 10 6 1 3 26 13 13 21 2.1 1.3 2.6
7 Philadelphia Ukrainian Nationals 10 6 1 3 22 14 8 21 2.1 0.8 2.2
8 Northern Virginia United 10 6 2 2 20 13 7 20 2 0.7 2
9 Virginia Beach City FC 10 5 1 4 18 11 7 19 1.9 0.7 1.8
10 Valeo FC 10 5 2 3 19 13 6 18 1.8 0.6 1.9
11 Georgia Revolution FC 10 4 2 4 26 12 14 16 1.6 1.4 2.6
12 Jackson Lions FC 10 5 4 1 32 23 9 16 1.6 0.9 3.2
13 North Alabama SC 10 4 3 3 16 15 1 15 1.5 0.1 1.6
14 Apotheos FC 10 3 2 5 13 10 3 14 1.4 0.3 1.3
15 FC Frederick 10 4 5 1 18 18 0 13 1.3 0 1.8
16 Cedar Stars 10 2 3 5 12 18 -6 11 1.1 -0.6 1.2
17 New York Shockers 10 2 4 4 16 16 0 10 1 0 1.6
18 Philadelphia Lone Star FC 10 3 6 1 23 29 -6 10 1 -0.6 2.3
19 Torch FC 10 3 6 1 14 24 -10 10 1 -1 1.4
20 Kingston Stockade FC 10 2 5 3 11 15 -4 9 0.9 -0.4 1.1
21 FC Monmouth 10 1 4 5 10 19 -9 8 0.8 -0.9 1
22 Atlantic City FC 10 2 6 2 11 24 -13 8 0.8 -1.3 1.1
23 LSA Athletico Lanier 10 2 6 2 7 27 -20 8 0.8 -2 0.7
24 Georgia Storm SA 10 2 7 1 14 25 -11 7 0.7 -1.1 1.4
25 Pennsylvania Classics 10 2 7 1 15 27 -12 7 0.7 -1.2 1.5
26 Grove Soccer United 10 2 8 0 5 20 -15 6 0.6 -1.5 0.5
27 Hershey FC 10 1 6 3 9 27 -18 6 0.6 -1.8 0.9
28 First State FC 10 1 7 2 16 25 -9 5 0.5 -0.9 1.6
29 Syracuse FC 10 0 5 5 8 17 -9 5 0.5 -0.9 0.8

SOUTH REGION

Rank Team GP W L T GF GA GD Pts Pts/GP GD/GP GF/GP
1 x-Tulsa Athletic 12 9 1 2 36 10 26 29 2.416667 2.166667 3
2 y-Jacksonville Armada FC U-23 12 11 0 1 36 11 25 34 2.833333 2.083333 3
3 Miami Beach Club de Futbol 10 8 2 0 25 8 17 24 2.4 1.7 2.5
4 Laredo Heat SC 12 8 1 3 30 8 22 27 2.25 1.833333 2.5
5 Southern States Soccer Club 12 9 3 0 35 14 21 27 2.25 1.75 2.916667
6 OKC 1889 FC 12 8 2 2 20 14 6 26 2.166667 0.5 1.666667
7 Miami United FC 10 7 3 0 26 10 16 21 2.1 1.6 2.6
8 Central Florida Panthers SC 10 7 3 0 25 12 13 21 2.1 1.3 2.5
9 FC Brownsville 12 8 3 1 38 15 23 25 2.083333 1.916667 3.166667
10 Corinthians FC of San Antonio 12 7 2 3 29 20 9 24 2 0.75 2.416667
11 Irving FC 12 6 1 5 31 11 20 23 1.916667 1.666667 2.583333
12 Denton Diablos FC 12 7 4 1 31 15 16 22 1.833333 1.333333 2.583333
13 Lubbock Matadors SC 12 6 4 2 25 15 10 20 1.666667 0.833333 2.083333
14 New Orleans Jesters 12 6 5 1 28 24 4 19 1.583333 0.333333 2.333333
15 Pensacola FC 12 6 5 1 21 23 -2 19 1.583333 -0.16667 1.75
16 Sunflower State FC 12 5 4 3 19 20 -1 18 1.5 -0.08333 1.583333
17 Naples United FC 10 4 4 2 22 11 11 14 1.4 1.1 2.2
18 Demize NPSL 12 4 4 4 18 20 -2 16 1.333333 -0.16667 1.5
19 AFC Mobile 12 4 7 1 19 20 -1 13 1.083333 -0.08333 1.583333
20 Arkansas Wolves FC 12 4 7 1 18 21 -3 13 1.083333 -0.25 1.5
21 Club Atletico Saint Louis 12 4 8 0 18 29 -11 12 1 -0.91667 1.5
22 CF10 Houston FC 12 3 7 2 15 38 -23 11 0.916667 -1.91667 1.25
23 Forth Worth Vaqueros FC 12 3 8 1 17 25 -8 10 0.833333 -0.66667 1.416667
24 Florida Roots 12 3 9 0 18 39 -21 9 0.75 -1.75 1.5
25 Miami Dutch Lions FC 10 1 7 2 8 23 -15 5 0.5 -1.5 0.8
26 Reign FK 12 1 9 2 12 27 -15 5 0.416667 -1.25 1
27 Austin United FC 12 1 10 1 16 44 -28 4 0.333333 -2.33333 1.333333
28 Coyotes FC 12 1 10 1 9 50 -41 4 0.333333 -3.41667 0.75
29 Magia FC 10 1 9 0 7 49 -42 3 0.3 -4.2 0.7
30 Tallahassee SC 12 0 10 2 12 38 -26 2 0.166667 -2.16667 1

MIDWEST REGION

Rank Team GP W L T GF GA GD Pts Pts/GP GD/GP GF/GP
1 x-Muskegon Risers 10 8 0 2 33 10 23 26 2.6 2.3 3.3
2 y-Cleveland SC 12 8 3 1 33 14 19 25 2.083333 1.583333 2.75
3 Med City FC 14 11 1 2 35 11 24 35 2.5 1.714286 2.5
4 Duluth FC 14 11 2 1 43 12 31 34 2.428571 2.214286 3.071429
5 FC Columbus 10 6 2 2 31 18 13 20 2 1.3 3.1
6 Pittsburgh Hotspurs 12 8 4 0 24 15 9 24 2 0.75 2
7 Dakota Fusion FC 14 7 4 3 36 28 8 24 1.714286 0.571429 2.571429
8 Minneapolis City SC 14 7 6 1 29 27 2 22 1.571429 0.142857 2.071429
9 FC Buffalo 12 5 6 1 15 20 -5 16 1.333333 -0.41667 1.25
10 Carpathia FC 10 3 4 3 15 20 -5 12 1.2 -0.5 1.5
11 Sioux Falls Thunder FC 14 3 6 5 27 28 -1 14 1 -0.07143 1.928571
12 Minnesota TwinStars FC 14 4 9 1 22 42 -20 13 0.928571 -1.42857 1.571429
13 Erie Commodores 12 3 7 2 13 23 -10 11 0.916667 -0.83333 1.083333
14 Akron City FC 12 2 6 4 10 23 -13 10 0.833333 -1.08333 0.833333
15 FC Milwaukee Torrent 10 2 6 2 20 22 -2 8 0.8 -0.2 2
16 Joy St. Louis Park 14 3 10 1 15 36 -21 10 0.714286 -1.5 1.071429
17 LC Aris FC 14 3 11 0 21 44 -23 9 0.642857 -1.64286 1.5
18 Panathinaikos Chicago 10 1 8 1 8 37 -29 4 0.4 -2.9 0.8

WEST REGION

Rank Team GP W L T GF GA GD Pts Pts/GP GD/GP GF/GP
1 x-Crossfire Redmond 10 4 1 5 16 10 6 17 1.7 0.6 1.6
2 y-El Farolito FC 10 8 2 0 38 11 27 24 2.4 2.7 3.8
3 Sacramento Gold FC 10 8 1 1 29 12 17 25 2.5 1.7 2.9
4 Napa Valley 1839 FC 10 8 2 0 32 11 21 24 2.4 2.1 3.2
5 International Portland Select FC 10 6 1 3 24 6 18 21 2.1 1.8 2.4
6 SC Brave Lions 10 7 3 0 24 14 10 21 2.1 1 2.4
7 Contra Costa FC 10 4 5 1 28 25 3 13 1.3 0.3 2.8
8 Academica SC 10 4 5 1 19 18 1 13 1.3 0.1 1.9
9 FC Davis 10 4 5 1 16 27 -11 13 1.3 -1.1 1.6
10 Oakland SC 10 3 5 2 19 28 -9 11 1.1 -0.9 1.9
11 FC Arizona 10 2 4 4 13 21 -8 10 1 -0.8 1.3
12 Las Vegas Legends FC 10 2 5 3 20 24 -4 9 0.9 -0.4 2
13 Sonoma County Sol FC 10 2 8 0 14 37 -23 6 0.6 -2.3 1.4
14 OSA Seattle FC 10 1 8 1 7 29 -22 4 0.4 -2.2 0.7
15 Oakland Stompers 10 0 8 2 10 36 -26 2 0.2 -2.6 1

2022 Meet the Underdogs: Contra Costa FC making most of unique US Open Cup chance

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Contra Costa vs Metro FC 2022 US Open Cup Qualifying
Contra Costa FC poses for a team photo after the club’s 8-7 penalty kick win over Metro FC, following a 1-1 draw in the 2022 US Open Cup qualifying tournament. Photo: Contra Costa FC

At the start of 2021, Contra Costa FC wasn’t sure if it would be playing a season in the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL). One year later and the team is busy building its roster for a US Open Cup debut, adding younger players and veterans to their squad.

The club was founded in 2015 out of San Francisco’s East Bay but only recently developed into a senior men’s squad.

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In the past few years this program has grown large enough to include multiple teams. Outside of the NPSL side, the club also has another team Atletico East Bay that plays in a different local league with a much younger squad. Most of Contra Costa FC’s roster used during the qualifying rounds was from that team with an average age around 20 years old.

“We wanted to give Atletico the ability to gain experience playing against teams with much more experience footballers,” said Contra Costa FC Chairman Gus Laredo. “After a successful campaign we decided it was time to throw them to the lions, so to speak.”

The club’s inaugural season in the NPSL hasn’t officially taken place. The league’s Golden Gate Conference was unable to compete in a traditional league season due to California’s COVID regulations regarding travel. Instead, the NPSL created the Return to Play Series, a shortened “stand-alone” season that wasn’t eligible to compete for league’s national title. Contra finished sixth in the regular season and lost in the playoff quarterfinal.

More importantly, US Soccer allowed the team and other Golden Gate members to enter Open Cup’s Open Division Local qualifying tournament for 2022. Despite the NPSL being a “national league”, the team’s inability to compete for the national title and automatic berths gave enough cause to allow for a waiver to be created.

In total, Contra Costa and three other NPSL teams (FC Davis, Oakland Stompers, and 1993 Open Cup champion El Farolito) entered qualifying. Only the former lasted all four rounds in the west region to reach the tournament proper.

The majority of Contra’s players come from the Richmond and San Pablo area. Laredo gave some insight into the club’s vision and what type of talent Contra Costa FC looks for in the East Bay.

“We are a no-pay-to-play model,” said Laredo. “In other words we do not charge any money to the players for anything. Coach Bejan Esmaili, who is also a great friend of mine, firmly believe that the beautiful game of soccer should be accessible to everyone from the grass roots to all levels of competition without financial barriers.”

“Our program looks for young, dedicated youth and amateur players from these local communities that not only have advance soccer skills, but also have strong family bonds and possess ‘a no quit character’ to become future leaders that will give back to their communities and mentor future generations.”

Laredo also mentioned that his club’s ambitions are ever-growing. Last year, the team’s ownership group acquired a minority stake in Thisted FC, a Danish side that competes in the country’s second division. It means not only to give players chances to play in this country but abroad too.

18-year-old Braulio Maravilla of Contra Costa FC battles for the ball against San Francisco Metro FC in a 2022 US Open Cup Qualifying match. Photo: CANOSPICTURES

“Our goal as a club is to create a platform offering players opportunities,” said Laredo. “Where always happy to work with USA pro leagues but we also have strong alliances to pro clubs Sao Joao de Ver in Portugal, Liga 3 and Thisted FC in Denmark league 2. We have the ability to send players to these two clubs and plan to do so either to train or look to win a spot on their rosters.”

Contra Costa FC’s path to qualifying for the US Open Cup began last October on Halloween when it defeated UPSL side Modesto City FC 3-1 in the second qualifying round. Contra Costa FC received a pair of first-half goals from Addison Escobar and Fernando Lara. Roberto Gonzalez scored in the second half to clinch the win for Contra Costa FC.

In the third qualifying round, Contra Costa FC faced fellow NPSL side El Farolito. Despite being the younger team, Costa was able to go toe-to-toe at P. Lang Park in San Francisco. Escobar gave his team the early 1-0 lead in the first half. Even though El Faro equalized in the 50th minute, Roberto Gonzalez scored to give Contra Costa a 2-1 lead in the 64th. El Farolito tied the game off a header in the 71st minute but Escobar added his second of the night and scored the game-winning goal in stoppage time to defeat the one-time Open Cup champions, 3-2.

A player from Contra Costa FC battles for the ball against San Francisco Metro FC in a 2022 US Open Cup Qualifying match. Photo: CANOSPICTURES

In the fourth and final round, it was a marathon as Contra Costa had to get through 10 rounds of penalty kicks against San Francisco Metro to qualify for the 2022 U.S. Open Cup. Contra was down early on in the match after 24 minutes when former professional Matt Fondy scored to give Metro a 1-0 lead. After halftime Contra equalized in the 61st minute with a goal from Roberto Gonzalez.

In the shootout, goalkeeper Carlos Herrera made big saves to keep his team in the match and in the 10th round Fernando Lara converted from the spot to send CCFC to qualify for the US Open Cup for the first time.

Preparing to battle a Portland Timbers U-23s team (USL League Two) will be another new challenge in the First Round but Laredo feels his young team will make the most of this opportunity to elevate their game.

“What you will see on Wednesday, March 23 is a young group of 18 men that will fight until the final whistle,” said Laredo, who knows for many, if not all of his players, this is an opportunity of a lifetime to play against an outfit with links to Major League Soccer. “A majority of the starting XI for Contra Costa FC will be 18 and 19 year olds which is likely to be younger than the Portland Timbers U-23s who have a deep, mature and experience player pool.”

Contra Costa FC will travel for a midweek matchup at John Chambers Field in Salem, Oregon where they’ll face the Timbers U-23s. Kickoff is scheduled for 10:30 p.m. ET. The winner will travel south to take on Sacramento Republic FC of the USL Championship on April 7.

Eric Wynalda returns to assist Las Vegas Legends in 2022 US Open Cup

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Eric Wynalda looks on from the sidelines in the Las Vegas Lights’ Third Round match against Orange County SC in the 2019 US Open Cup. Photo: Lucas Peltier – lucaspeltierphoto.com

UPDATE (3/22/22): Eric Wynalda has clarified that he is not the head coach of the Las Vegas Legends, but is working more behind the scenes with the club, assisting head coach Jose Rivera

National Soccer Hall of Famer Eric Wynalda announced on his podcast Wynalda for the Win on Friday that he will be making a return to coaching this season to lead the Las Vegas Legends. The National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) side is making it’s tournament debut in the 2022 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

The former US men’s national team star’s announcement marks his first foray into coaching since being appointed to lead Las Vegas’s USL Championship team, the Las Vegas Lights, during their 2019 season. In 36 games as head of the Lights, Wynalda posted a 12-16-8 record before being replaced by Frank Yallop midway through the 2020 season.

After the Lights, Wynalda was hired to coach New Amsterdam FC (NISA) in July of 2020, but stepped down due to personal reasons shortly before the beginning of the season.

The father of six will make his return to Las Vegas soccer this time at the amateur level with the Legends, where he will hope to duplicate the US Open Cup success he had as manager of Cal FC. In 2012, with Wynalda in charge, Cal FC reached the Fourth Round of the US Open Cup in a Cinderella run that saw them defeat both USL Pro side Wilmington Hammerheads 4-0, followed by a stunning road upset of MLS’ Portland Timbers, 1-0 in extra time.

US Open Cup Coaching Win % (Modern Era)
(min. 8 games)
1. Dave Sarachan – 0.789
2. Scott Schweitzer – 0.750
3. Tom Soehn – 0.727
4. Tom Fitzgerald – 0.700
5. ERIC WYNALDA – 0.692

“I like to discover these players who haven’t really had the opportunity to play at the club level … and now through a platform like this, like the Lamar Hunt Open Cup, we can assemble a team that in my opinion, can go toe to toe with any MLS side,” Wynalda said during his podcast.

The victory over the Timbers, who played their regular starting lineup in the match, marked just the sixth time that an amateur team eliminated an MLS team. However, it was the first time an Open Division Local amateur side defeated an MLS team in a non-shootout. It remains not only one of the biggest upsets of the US Open Cup’s Modern Era (1995-present), but one of the biggest in the history of the tournament.

As a player, Wynalda played in just five US Open Cup games, two of them in 1998 with the San Jose Clash (now Earthquakes), and three of them in 2001 when he helped the Chicago Fire reach the Semifinals. He has had much more Open Cup success as a head coach for four different clubs (Cal FC, Atlanta Silverbacks, Los Angeles Wolves FC, Las Vegas Lights). Out of all the Modern Era coaches since 1995, Wynalda has the fifth best win percentage (0.692) with a 9-4-0 record. In his four Open Cup runs, he has reached the Third Round every time and his deepest run in the competition came in 2014 when he led the NASL’s Atlanta Silverbacks to the Quarterfinals. Atlanta was one of five North American Soccer League clubs to ever reach the Quarterfinals.

Wynalda will be looking to help the Legends recapture that magic.

“The reason I came to Las Vegas was to see this city grow, and to capitalize on the talent pool that exists here in Las Vegas,” Wynalda added. “Because at times, in my experience, I would say it is just as good if not better than what I have seen in Los Angeles.”

One advantage that the Legends have going for them is the minimal roster restrictions for Open Division National teams (NPSL, USL League Two). As long as the players that are recruited aren’t cup tied (i.e. played for another team in last fall’s US Open Cup qualifying tournament), and are willing and able to sign an amateur reinstatement form, they can recruit whoever they want.

The Legends were founded in 2012 as an indoor soccer team, splitting home games between the Orleans Arena and the Las Vegas Sports Park until the team’s dissolution in 2016. In 2019, team owner and general manager Meir Cohen announced the team’s return, this time as an outdoor member of the NPSL. After its debut season was cut short due to the pandemic in 2020, the team finished first in the league’s Southwest Division last year. Thanks to the league’s playoff format and a number of other western teams taking 2021 off due to COVID, the Legends high place finish allotted them one of the NPSL’s automatic tournament berths.

This will be the team’s first season competing in the US Open Cup, which was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic for the past two years, ending the tournament’s run of 106 consecutive years of play.

2022 US Open Cup Qualifying: Next batch of matchups announced for Rounds 2, 3

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Players from Vereinigung Erzgebirge celebrate after scoring a goal against West Chester United in the 2020 US Open Cup qualifying tournament. Photo: Matt Ralph | Brotherly Game
Players from Vereinigung Erzgebirge celebrate after scoring a goal against West Chester United in the 2020 US Open Cup qualifying tournament. Photo: Matt Ralph | Brotherly Game

The October batch of games in the Open Division Local qualifying tournament for the 2022 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup is fast approaching. In total, 31 games will kick off across the country this weekend between Oct. 16-17, reducing the current field of 63 down to 32.

The teams that are taking part in the competition are mostly amateur — although there are no rules limiting professional teams from participating. As of now the field contains representation from 14 different states and the District of Columbia (18 different leagues). For the sixth year in a row, the most represented league is the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL), which entered 30 teams to start and currently has 23 teams still active.

For 2022 qualifying US Soccer has slightly altered the way regional rounds are held. In previous years all teams compete in the same round across the country during the same window, with an example being that two teams from the northeast playing against one another are in the same round as two teams from the west coast playing against one another. While this was simple, issues arose when regions with less teams got to later rounds forcing long travel.

For a recent example, during the 2020 qualifying tournament, Michigan side Livonia City FC were forced to travel to Louisiana for their Third Qualifying Round draw against Louisiana Krewe FC.

To try and counter this, USSF has implemented individual regional rounds, meaning regions with higher team participation (Southeast & West) will go through four rounds of qualifying. Meanwhile, the other two regions (Northeast & Central) will only play three rounds of qualifying. The latter two regionals began last month in the “Second Qualifying Round” while the former two had four teams each begin in the “First Qualifying Round”. This weekend will be the subsequent qualifying round for each.

Last month’s round formatting was not the only confusion surrounding the tournament. Ahead of the first games US Soccer mandated that all teams register all rostered players, including both US Citizens and internationals. Normally this would not be an issue however the federation reportedly asked for almost all players that were previously accepted to be re-added and were particularly meticulous about the submission formats.

Multiple teams spoke to TheCup.us to voice frustration over the situation. Colorado Rush manager Joe Webb detailed that his team having multiple minors made registering more difficult. The tournament rules state that all adult roster members need to be SafeSport certified in order to be eligible to play but according to the team member the situation for minors was less than clear.

“If by some miracle of God we for thru this weekend then its possible I could get it done,” Webb said. “We have quite a few coaches and we are all SafeSport certified, (I’m) just not sure what it takes to get the others done.”

Rush lost to Colorado Super League rival Azteca FC, 4-1, with only ten players available for the match.

In another instance the Jackson Lions experienced a situation where two of its own players needed to be reclassified as amateur prior to his rescheduled match earlier this month. The two players previously played professionally for USL Championship sides in 2016 and 2018 respectively but had been approved to play in 2020 qualifying for the team. Lions owner Mike Durazzo was told he needed to get those teams to sign release forms in an email sent a few hours before his team’s game kicked off.

In total, five teams forfeited their qualifying matches, not including EFA Metro’s rescinded forfeit against Jackson Lions, breaking the previous record for most forfeits in a single round that was previously set in 2017 qualifying (4). The most forfeits in a single tournament is eight which was set during 2018 qualifying. Three of the teams that forfeited claimed their reason for doing so was because of registration issues, with EFA also claiming that before they successfully appealed and got their game rescheduled.

One additional team won’t be taking part in the qualifying tournament, but this one is due to league disputes. Miami Beach CF entered the tournament as a member of the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL) but was removed on Sept. 16.

After speaking with sources from both sides the situation is as follows; Miami Beach CF competed in the UPSL in the 2021 Spring season and entered the qualifying tournament as a member of the league. During the year, the team jumped to the National Soccer League (NSL) but attempted to add a separate reserve (Under-23) team to the UPSL, which the league refused to allow. Therefore, the club was denied a spot in the US Open Cup qualifying tournament because they both switched leagues (first team) and were not in good standing in the UPSL (U-23s).

US Soccer therefore announced the City Soccer FC (Fla.) vs. Miami Sun FC (Fla.) First Round match would now be counted for the Second Round. Despite the federation claiming Miami “withdrew” from the tournament team CEO and founder Tony Lafrate vehemently refutes that wording.

“They kicked us out because I wanted to call the team Miami Beach Under 23,” Lafrate told TheCup.us. “It’s really sad. We’ve wanted to compete in for three years and our players were very excited.” His team will continue to compete in the NSL and is looking forward to a possible 2023 qualifying campaign.

The number of slots (teams advancing to the tournament proper) for each region is as follows:

  • Northeast (32 clubs/4 slots available)
  • Southeast (18/2)
  • Central (16/2)
  • West (26/3)

The 11 advancing local qualifiers will join 2022 National Amateur Cup champion Lansdowne Yonkers FC in the first round proper. With this new information, TheCup.us is now projecting in the range of 30 to 32 Open Division slots. NPSL and USL League Two (USL2) are projected to receive either 9 or 10 slots depending on what the final total is.

30 Open Division slots:

  • 11 + 1 Local Qualifying
  • 9 NPSL
  • 9 USL2

31 Open Division slots:

  • 11 + 1 Local Qualifying
  • 10 NPSL
  • 9 USL2

32 Open Division slots:

  • 11 + 1 Local Qualifying
  • 10 NPSL
  • 10 USL2

The cancelled 2020 tournament had 38 Open Division slots. The continued expansion of MLS, both USL professional leagues, and NISA will end up bumping out some Open Division teams. This could potentially be fewer than the 32 Open Division slots for the 2019 US Open Cup. Any adjustments to the Open Division total slots will be adjusted in the NPSL and USL League Two pools. Local Qualifying pool is locked in to these 11 slots plus Lansdowne Yonkers’ berth. This will be finalized in early Jan. 2022 after the professional team entry deadline of Dec. 31.

The Open Division Local Qualifying tournament was launched in 2016 as an alternative to holding state and regional qualifying tournaments. Now, all teams from any US Soccer-affiliated leagues just need to register. The competition begins in the fall and all entrants are divided up regionally to minimize travel, with the teams that advance the furthest qualifying for the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup which will begin in the spring.

Stay tuned to our social media feeds/website for updates.

The match-ups for the October round of the qualifying tournament are listed below:

2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup – October Open Division Local Qualifying Schedule
All Times Eastern

Second Qualifying Round
Southeast Region

Date Game (home team listed first) Time Venue
Oct. 16 Miami Soccer Academy (Fla.) vs. Naples City FC (Fla.) 7 p.m. Flamingo Park – Abel Holtz Stadium; Miami Beach, FL
Oct. 16 Georgia Revolution FC Reserves (Ga.) vs. Georgia Storm FC (Ga.) 7:30 p.m. Luella High School Stadium; Locust Grove, GA
Oct. 16 Orlando FC Wolves (Fla.) vs. Oceanway FC (Fla.) 7:30 p.m. East Orange District Park; Christmas, FL
Oct. 17 South Carolina United Heat (S.C.) vs. Atletico Atlanta (Ga.) 5 p.m. Southeastern Freight Lines Soccer Center; Columbia, SC
Oct. 17 Florida Brothers (Fla.) vs. Red Force FC (Fla.) 6 p.m. Dr. Lester B. Brown Park; Miami Gardens, FL
Oct. 17 Palm Beach Breakers (Fla.) vs. International Soccer Association (Fla.) 7 p.m. Lake Lytal Park; West Palm Beach, FL
Oct. 17 Florida Soccer Soldiers (Fla.) vs. Hurricane FC (Fla.) 8 p.m. Tropical Park Stadium; Miami, FL

(The originally scheduled First Qualifying Round match between City Soccer FC (Fla.) and Miami Sun FC (Fla.) from September 18, which City won, 3-2, was later reclassified as a “Second Qualifying Round” match due to Miami Beach CF’s removal from the tournament. Practically, this could be seen as a bye for City Soccer FC since their next qualifying match will be next month.)

West Region

Date Game (home team listed first) Time Venue
Oct. 16 Modesto City FC (Calif.) vs. Contra Costa FC (Calif.) 4 p.m. The House Modesto; Modesto, CA
Oct. 16 Oakland Stompers (Calif.) vs. El Farolito (Calif.) 9 p.m. Burrell Field; San Leandro, CA
Oct. 16 JASA RWC (Calif.) vs. Metro FC (Calif.) 10:15 p.m. Red Morton Community Park – Bechet FIeld; Redwood City, CA
Oct. 17 BattleBorn FC (Nev.) vs. FC Davis (Calif.) 4 p.m. Douglas High School (Grass Field); Minden, NV
Oct. 17 Desert Communities SC Pathfinders (Calif.) vs. Villarreal Las Vegas (Nev.) 6 p.m. Helendale Community Park; Helendale, CA
Oct. 17 L.A. Monsters FC (Calif.) vs. Outbreak FC (Calif.) 6 p.m. Wilmington Athletic Complex; Wilmington, CA
Oct. 17 Chula Vista FC (Calif.) vs. White Tigers FC (Calif.) 6:30 p.m. Terra Nova Park; Chula Vista, CA
Oct. 17 Inter San Francisco (Calif.) vs. Real San Jose (Calif.) 8:15 p.m. Beach Chalet Fields (Field 4); San Francisco, CA
Oct. 17 Escondido FC (Calif.) vs. Rebels SC (Calif.) 9 p.m. Mount Miguel High School; Spring Valley, CA
Oct. 17 Sporting ID11 (Calif.) vs. Rose City FC (Calif.) 9 p.m. Lake Forest Sports Park (Turf Field A); Lake Forest, CA
Oct. 17 San Fernando Valley FC (Calif.) vs. Trojans FC (Calif.) 9:30 p.m. Sepulveda Basin Sports Complex; Los Angeles, CA
Oct. 17 Real Sociedad Royals (Calif.) vs. Capistrano FC (Calif.) 11 p.m. Orange County Great Park (Field 13); Irvine, CA

Second Round Byes: None

Third Qualifying Round
Northeast Region

Date Game (home team listed first) Time Venue
Oct. 16 DC Cheddar (D.C.) vs. Districtonia Futbol (D.C.) 1:30 p.m. The Fields at RFK Campus (Field 3); Washington, D.C.
Oct. 16 Kendall Wanderers (Mass.) vs. Brockton FC United (Mass.) 2 p.m. James P. Falzone Memorial Park; Waltham, MA
Oct. 16 Westchester United FC (N.Y.) vs. Jackson Lions FC (N.J.) 5 p.m. Brewster HS; Brewster, NY
Oct. 16 Virginia United FC (Va.) vs. Nova FC (Va.) 7 p.m. George Hampton Middle School; Woodbridge, VA
Oct. 17 Rockville SC (Md.) vs. Lynchburg FC (Va.) 3 p.m. Laytonia Recreational Park (Turf Field); Gaithersburg, MD
Oct. 17 Philadelphia Lone Star FC (Pa.) vs. Vereinigung Erzgebirge (Pa.) 3:30 p.m. John Bartram HS Football Field; Philadelphia, PA
Oct. 17 IASC Boom (N.Y.) vs. FC Maritsa (Ill.) 5 p.m. East Rochester Public HS; East Rochester, NY
Oct. 17 NY Pancyprian Freedoms (N.Y.) vs. Oyster Bay United FC (N.Y.) 8 p.m. Belson Stadium (St. John’s Univ.); Queens, NY

Third Round Byes: None

Central Region

Date Game (home team listed first) Time Venue
Oct. 16 Southwest FC (Texas) vs. Gam United FC (Colo.) 9 p.m. Eastside Sports Complex; El Paso, TX
Oct. 16 Harpos FC (Colo.) vs. Peak Eleven FC (Colo.) 9 p.m. Dick’s Sporting Goods Park (Field 8); Commerce City, CO
Oct. 16 Azteca FC (Colo.) vs. Colorado Rovers (Colo.) 9 p.m. Dick’s Sporting Goods Park (Field 10); Commerce City, CO
Oct. 17 D’Feeters Kicks SC (Texas) vs. Houston Hotshots (Texas) 4:45 p.m. Lake Ridge High School; Mansfield, Texas

Third Round Byes: None

Third Qualifying Round (Southeast, West), Fourth Qualifying Round (Central, Northeast): Nov. 20-21
Fourth Qualifying Round (Southeast, West): Dec. 18-19

2022 US Open Cup qualifying: 92 teams learn Round 1 opponents for Open Division Local tournament

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Players from Chula Vista FC and Rebels SC battle for the ball in their 2020 US Open Cup qualifying match. Photo: Chula Vista FC
Players from Chula Vista FC and Rebels SC battle for the ball in their 2020 US Open Cup qualifying match. Photo: Chula Vista FC

Less than a week after the teams had been announced for Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Qualifying each one now knows when they’ll play their first game. The United States Soccer Federation announced the first round match-ups for next month’s Open Division Local qualifying tournament for the 2022 US Open Cup.

The teams that are taking part in the competition are mostly amateur — although there are no rules limiting professional teams from participating — and represent 17 different states and the District of Columbia (23 different leagues). For the sixth year in a row, the most represented league is the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL), which entered 30 teams.

The 92 teams have been separated into four regions (East, Southeast, Central, and West) and will now compete against other teams within their region. Unlike in previous years, USSF is making two regions go through an additional round. Both the Southeast and West regions have a high number of teams participating, 18 and 24 respectively, and both will have two First Qualifying Round matches next month. They’ll finish their qualifying tournament with a fourth round in mid-December.

The other two regions, East and Central, will only have three qualifying rounds. However US Soccer is calling the first games of their tournaments the “Second Qualifying Round”. This means their fourth round (aka third match and final matches) will take place in November.

The number of slots (teams advancing to the tournament proper) for each region is as follows:

  • Northeast (32 clubs/4 slots available)
  • Southeast (18/2)
  • Central (16/2)
  • West (26/3)

The 11 advancing local qualifiers will join 2022 National Amateur Cup champion Lansdowne Yonkers FC in the first round proper. With this new information, TheCup.us is now projecting in the range of 30 to 32 Open Division slots. NPSL and USL League Two (USL2) are projected to receive either 9 or 10 slots depending on what the final total is.

Junior Lone Star U-23s (white) battle with United German Hungarians (red) in 2018 US Open Cup qualifying. Photo: Kari Berton
Junior Lone Star U-23s (white) battle with United German Hungarians (red) in 2018 US Open Cup qualifying. Photo: Kari Berton

30 Open Division slots:

  • 11 + 1 Local Qualifying
  • 9 NPSL
  • 9 USL2

31 Open Division slots:

  • 11 + 1 Local Qualifying
  • 10 NPSL
  • 9 USL2

32 Open Division slots:

  • 11 + 1 Local Qualifying
  • 10 NPSL
  • 10 USL2

The cancelled 2020 tournament had 38 Open Division slots. The continued expansion of MLS, both USL professional leagues, and NISA will end up bumping out some Open Division teams. This could potentially be fewer than the 32 Open Division slots for the 2019 US Open Cup. Any adjustments to the Open Division total slots will be adjusted in the NPSL and USL League Two pools. Local Qualifying pool is locked in to these 11 slots plus Lansdowne Bhoys’ berth. This will be finalized in early January 2022 after the professional team entry deadline of December 31.

The Open Division Local Qualifying tournament was launched in 2016 as an alternative to holding state and regional qualifying tournaments. Now, all teams from any US Soccer-affiliated leagues just need to register. The competition begins in the fall and all entrants are divided up regionally to minimize travel, with the teams that advance the furthest qualifying for the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup which will begin in the spring.

The match-ups for the opening round of the qualifying tournament are listed below:

2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup – Open Division Local Qualifying Schedule

First Qualifying Round
Southeast Region

Date Game (home team listed first) Time Venue
Sept. 18 Orlando FC Wolves (Fla.) vs. Deportivo Lake Mary FC (Fla.) 6:30 p.m. ET East Orange District Park; Christmas, Fla.
TBD City Soccer FC (Fla.) vs. Miami Sun FC (Fla.) TBD Gaines Park; West Palm Beach, Fla.

First Round Byes (14): Florida (10): Florida Brothers, Florida Soccer Soldiers, Hurricane FC, International Soccer Association, Miami Beach Club de Futbol, Miami Soccer Academy, Naples City FC, Oceanway FC, Palm Beach Breakers, Red Force FC; Georgia (3): Atletico Atlanta, Georgia Revolution FC Reserves, Georgia Storm FC; S.C. (1): South Carolina United Heat

West Region

Date Game (home team listed first) Time Venue
Sept. 18 FC Davis (Calif.) vs. Davis Legacy SC (Calif.) 12 p.m. PT Playfields Park Soccer Stadium; Davis, Calif.
Sept. 18 Gremio FC San Diego (Calif.) vs. Rebels Soccer Club (Calif.) 7 p.m. ET Mira Mesa High School Stadium; San Diego, Calif.

First Round Byes (22): Calif. (20): Capistrano FC, Chula Vista FC, Contra Costa FC, Desert Communities SC Pathfinders, El Farolito, Escondido FC, Inter San Francisco, JASA RWC, L.A. Monsters FC, Metro FC, Modesto City Football Club, Oakland Stompers, Outbreak FC, Real San Jose, Real Sociedad Royals, Rose City FC, San Fernando Valley FC, Sporting ID11, Trojans FC, White Tigers FC; Nevada (2): BattleBornFC, Villarreal Las Vegas

Second Qualifying Round
East Region

Date Game (home team listed first) Time Venue
Sept. 18 Kendall Wanderers (Mass.) vs. Newtown Pride FC (Conn.) 10 a.m. ET Pine Banks Park; Malden, Mass.
Sept. 18 Philadelphia Lone Star FC (Pa.) vs. Philadelphia Ukrainian Nationals (Pa.) 3 p.m. ET John Bartram High School Football Field; Philadelphia, Pa.
Sept. 18 Pittsburgh City United FC (Pa.) vs. IASC Boom (N.Y.) 5 p.m. ET Monroeville Community Park West; Monroeville, Pa.
Sept. 18 Oyster Bay United FC (N.Y.) vs. New York Greek American SC (N.Y.) 5:30 p.m. ET Darcy Field; Rockville Centre, N.Y.
Sept. 18 DC Cheddar (D.C.) vs. Corinto FC (Va.) 7 p.m. ET RFK Stadium Auxilliary Turf Field; Washington, D.C.
Sept. 18 Nova FC (Va.) vs. Springfield FC (Va.) 7 p.m. ET Evergreen Sportsplex; Leesburg, Va.
Sept. 18 Districtonia Futbol (D.C.) vs. Alianza Futbol Club (Va.) 7 p.m. ET Riggs LaSalle Recreation Center; Washington, D.C.
Sept. 18 EFA Metro (N.J.) vs. Jackson Lions FC (N.J.) 7 p.m. ET Athenia Steel Recreation Complex; Clifton, N.J.
Sept. 18 FC Maritsa (Ill.) vs. Lexington Landsharks (Ky.) 7 p.m. CT O’Fallon Family Sports Park; O’Fallon, Ill.
Sept. 18 New Amsterdam FC ll (N.Y.) vs. New York Pancyprian Freedoms (N.Y.) 8 p.m. ET Hudson Sports Complex; Warwick, N.Y.
Sept. 19 United German Hungarians (Pa.) vs. Vereinigung Erzgebirge (Pa.) 2:30 p.m. ET Temple University Ambler Campus; Ambler, Pa.
Sept. 19 Lynchburg FC (Va.) vs. Aegean Hawks FC (Md.) 3 p.m. ET Lynchburg City Stadium; Lynchburg, Va.
Sept. 19 C.A. United (Va.) vs. Rockville Soccer Club (Md.) 4 p.m. ET George Hampton Middle School; Woodbridge, Va.
Sept. 19 New Jersey Alliance FC (N.J.) vs. Westchester United F.C. (N.Y.) 6:30 pm ET Athenia Steel Recreation Complex; Clifton, N.J.
Sept. 19 Toros FC (Va.) vs. Virginia United FC (Va.) 7 p.m. ET George Hampton Middle School; Woodbridge, Va.
Sept. 19 Brockton FC United (Mass.) vs. Unations FC (Mass.) TBD Randolph High School; Randolph, Mass.

Second Round Byes: None

Central Region

Date Game (home team listed first) Time Venue
TBD FC Denver (Colo.) vs. Peak Eleven Football Club (Colo.) TBD TBD
Sept. 18 Lone Star Republic (Texas) vs. D’Feeters Kicks Soccer Club (Texas) 8 p.m. CT Crum Lacrosse and Sports Field; Dallas, Texas
Sept. 18 Southwest Football Club (Texas) vs. San Antonio Runners (Texas) 7 p.m. MT Eastside Sports Complex; El Paso, Texas
Sept. 19 Harpos FC (Colo.) vs. FC Union Jerez (Colo.) 3 p.m. MT Fairview High School; Boulder, Colo.
Sept. 19 Colorado Rovers (Colo.) vs. Athletic Club of Sloan’s Lake (Colo.) 3 p.m. MT Victoria Sports Park; Golden, Colo.
Sept. 19 Colorado Rush (Colo.) vs. Azteca FC (Colo.) 5 p.m. MT Long Lake Regional Park; Arvada, Colo.
Sept. 19 Boulder United FC (Colo.) vs Gam United FC  (Colo.) 5 p.m. MT Broomfield Commons, Field TBD; Broomfield, Colo.
Sept. 19 Houston Hotshots – Greenspoint FC (Texas) vs. Athletic Katy FC (Texas) 7 p.m. MT British International School of Houston; Katy, Texas

Second Round Byes: None

Note: The draw is missing Gam United FC (Colo.) and Boulder United FC (Colo.). The information for that match was taken directly from one of the teams on social media.

Second Qualifying Round (Southeast, West), Third Qualifying Round (Central, Northeast): Oct. 16-17
Third Qualifying Round (Southeast, West), Fourth Qualifying Round (Central, Northeast): Nov. 20-21
Fourth Qualifying Round (Southeast, West): Dec. 18-19

2022 US Open Cup qualifying: 92 teams approved for Open Division Local tournament

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Cal FC players huddle up prior to their 2020 US Open Cup qualifier against Oxnard Guerreros. Photo: Victor Friedman | Cal FC
Cal FC players huddle up prior to their 2020 US Open Cup qualifier against Oxnard Guerreros. Photo: Victor Friedman | Cal FC

Virginia United FC and CD Huateras finished out their 2020 US Open Cup third qualifying round match surrounded in chaos. The 3-1 scoreline ensured United was set to make it’s second straight tournament while their fellow Virginia side had earned three red cards in the final minute of regulation. Then 20-year-old Christian Osorio scored the game sealer in the 90th minute in Woodbridge to make his team the final side into the 107th edition of the tournament.

The game wrapped up just after 9 p.m. Eastern time on Nov. 24, 2019, the last time a U.S. Soccer-sanctioned US Open Cup qualifier took place. Now, 639 days and two cancelled tournaments later, the qualifying tournament for the 2022 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup is taking shape.

On Monday night, the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) announced the entries for the Open Division Local qualifying tournament for the 2022 US Open Cup. In total, 92 teams from 17 different states plus the District of Columbia will attempt to qualify for what will now officially be the 107th edition of America’s national soccer championship.

Despite initially being worded as “if needed”, USSF has announced there will be four rounds of qualifying for teams to compete in. This will be the second time a fourth round is used in open division local qualifying but it will be the first time it is announced at the start of the tournament (the 2019 tournament qualifying fourth round was a late addition after the third round was already complete).

For the sixth year in a row, the most represented league of the 23 taking part is the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL) which entered 33 teams. The total is the same amount the nearly ten year old league saw enter the 2020 qualifying competition. One league that might be surprising to see in the competition is the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL), whose teams are normally not allowed to compete in local qualifying due to it’s status (along with USL League Two) as a National League. However teams in the NPSL’s Golden Gate Conference were not able to participate in the league’s regular competition in 2021, holding a separate table and playoffs. Four teams from that conference have been allowed to take part including 1993 US Open Cup champions El Farolito SC.

Within the group, 50 of the teams have previously competed in the Open Division tournament before. This includes three previous Open Cup champions; New York Greek American SC (NY), New York Pancyprian Freedoms (NY), Philadelphia Ukrainian Nationals (PA). Two others, Trojans FC (University of Southern California) and San Antonio Runners (University of Texas, San Antonio), are rare examples of teams based out of college campuses.

Another returning team is Newtown Pride FC who was one of the few teams to qualify for both the cancelled 2020 and 2021 tournaments. Initially earning an entry as 2019 National Amateur Cup champions, the Connecticut side was one of only two open division teams to be selected via random draw for the abbreviated 2021 tournament. If the team wants to actually compete in its first US Open Cup it will need to do something it has yet to do; win in local qualifying.

There is also plenty of intrigue when it comes to some of the 42 new faces hoping to make history. New Amsterdam FC ll, reserve side of it’s National Independent Soccer Association (NISA) namesake, is competing out of the newly formed Eastern Premier Soccer League (EPSL). The league is a joint effort between the Cosmopolitan Soccer League and Maryland Majors Soccer League to have regional promotion and relegation between top amateur sides. In total, four other teams from the league are attempting to qualify.

Additionally, NAFC II is the first reserve side of a professional team to ever attempt qualification via Open Division Local Qualifying.

The Open Division Local Qualifying tournament was launched in 2016 as an alternative to holding state and regional qualifying tournaments for each of the participating leagues and organizations. Now, all teams from any US Soccer-affiliated leagues just need to register. The competition begins in the fall and all entrants are divided up regionally to minimize travel, with the teams that advance the furthest qualifying for the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, which will begin in the spring. The number of teams that will qualify for the tournament is yet to be announced as the draw for the competition will be announced in the coming days. What is known is that the qualifying tournament will require four rounds.

As has been the case since 2018, one Open Division Local team already knows they will be in the 2022 tournament. Lansdowne Yonkers FC (New York) won the 2022 National Amateur Cup championship over Cal FC (CA), 2-1, earning them an automatic berth into the first round proper. The team, formerly known as Lansdowne Bhoys FC, will be making their third tournament appearance (2016, 2018). During its inaugural cup run, the Bhoys reached the third round of the 2016 tournament, defeating professional side Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (USL) along the way.

With this announcement, TheCup.us can make a reasonable estimate on the number of Open Division teams and the allocation among the three qualification pools (local qualifying, NPSL, and USL League Two.) Our estimates last month stated that 56 teams total would be participating in the first round between USL League One (USL1), National Independent Soccer Association (NISA), and the Open Division. As of now, there are 10 eligible USL1 teams and 12 eligible NISA teams, leaving 34 teams left to split among the Open Division. Currently projections are leaving out any potential independent teams that could participate in the proposed second pro league by MLS. If these independently-owned teams transfer over from existing professional leagues, that would either increase or keep the same the number of slots for the Open Division. If these are new professional teams (or revived from hiatus) then that would decrease the number of slots for the Open Division. However, with no concrete news since the initial announcement on June 21, the league is excluded for now until more is announced.

There are 93 teams in the Local Qualifying pool (Lansdowne Bhoys FC is included in that), 76 teams in the NPSL pool, and 75 teams in the USL League Two (USL2) pool. 244 teams total. Simple math can determine the number of teams for each pool.

Local Qualifying: (93 / 244) * 34 = 12.96 rounded up to 13 slots. Lansdowne Bhoys FC takes up one of those slots, the remaining 12 will be determined in qualifying this fall.

NPSL: (76 / 244) * 34 = 10.59 rounded up to 11 slots. Which NPSL clubs could qualify can be found here.

USL2: (75/244)*34 = 10.45 rounded down to 10 slots. Which USL2 clubs could qualify can be found here.

2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup – Open Division Local Qualifying Schedule

First Qualifying Round: Sept. 18-19
Second Qualifying Round: Oct. 16-17
Third Qualifying Round: Nov. 20-21
Fourth Qualifying Round: Dec. 18-19

2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
Open Division Teams Entering via the Local Qualifying Track
Listed by State and League (Sanctioning Body) Affiliation

California (24)
National Premier Soccer League (U.S. Adult Soccer Assn.)
Contra Costa FC; Concord, Calif.
El Farolito; San Francisco, Calif.
FC Davis^^; Davis, Calif.
Oakland Stompers; Oakland, Calif.

National Soccer League (U.S. Specialty Sports Assn.)
Real San Jose; San Jose, Calif.

San Francisco Soccer Football League (Calif. Soccer Assn.-North/USASA)
Inter San Francisco; San Francisco, Calif.
Metro FC; San Francisco, Calif.

Southwest Premier League (U.S. Specialty Sports Assn.)
Capistrano FC; San Clemente, Calif.
Chula Vista FC^^; Chula Vista, Calif.
L.A. Monsters FC; Wilmington, Calif.
Outbreak FC; Long Beach, Calif.
Real Sociedad Royals; Irvine, Calif.

United Premier Soccer League (U.S. Adult Soccer Assn.)
Davis Legacy SC; Davis, Calif.
Desert Communities SC Pathfinders; Helendale, Calif.
Escondido FC; Spring Valley, Calif.
Gremio FC San Diego; San Diego, Calif.
JASA RWC; Redwood City, Calif.
Modesto City Football Club; Modesto, Calif.
Rebels Soccer Club; Spring Valley, Calif.
Rose City FC; Arcadia, Calif.
San Fernando Valley FC; Glendale, Calif.
Sporting ID11; Lake Forest, Calif.
Trojans FC; Irvine, Calif.
White Tigers FC; Poway, Calif.

Colorado (10)
Colorado Premier League (U.S. Specialty Sports Assn.)
Boulder United FC; Superior, Colo.
Colorado Rovers; Golden, Colo.

Colorado Super League (Colorado Soccer Assn./U.S. Adult Soccer Assn.)
Athletic Club of Sloan’s Lake; Wheat Ridge, Colo.
Azteca FC; Golden, Colo.
Colorado Rush; Arvada, Colo.
FC Denver; Denver, Colo.
FC Union Jerez; Arvada, Colo.
Gam United FC; Denver, Colo.
Peak Eleven Football Club; Boulder, Colo.
Harpos FC^^; Boulder, Colo.

Connecticut (1)
Connecticut Soccer League (Connecticut State Soccer Assn./USASA)
Newtown Pride FC^^; Newtown, Conn.

District of Columbia (2)
DC Premier League (Maryland State Soccer Assn./USASA)
DC Cheddar; Washington, D.C.

Woodbridge Soccer League (Asociacion Nacional Fútbol en USA)
Districtonia Futbol; Washington, D.C.

Florida (14)
National Soccer League (U.S. Specialty Sports Assn.)
City Soccer FC; West Palm Beach, Fla.
Florida Brothers; Miami Gardens, Fla.
Hurricane FC; Delray Beach, Fla.
Miami Soccer Academy; Miami, Fla.
Orlando FC Wolves; Orlando, Fla.
Palm Beach Breakers; West Palm Beach, Fla.
Red Force FC; Miami Gardens, Fla.

United Premier Soccer League (U.S. Adult Soccer Assn.)
Deportivo Lake Mary FC; Lake Mary, Fla.
Florida Soccer Soldiers; Miami Beach, Fla.
International Soccer Association: Boca Raton, Fla.
Miami Beach Club de Futbol; Miami Gardens, Fla.
Miami Sun FC; Miami, Fla.
Naples City FC; Naples, Fla.
Oceanway FC; Jacksonville, Fla.

Georgia (3)
Atlanta District Amateur Soccer League (Georgia State Soccer Assn./USASA)
Georgia Revolution FC Reserves; Locust Grove, Ga.

United Premier Soccer League (U.S. Adult Soccer Assn.)
Atletico Atlanta; Milton, Ga.
Georgia Storm FC; Carrollton, Ga.

Illinois (1)
Metro East Football Association (Illinois State Soccer Assn./USASA)
FC Maritsa; O’Fallon, Ill.

Kentucky (1)
Ohio Valley Premier League (US Club Soccer)
Lexington Landsharks; Lexington, Ky.

Maryland (2)
Maryland Major Soccer League (Maryland State Soccer Assn./USASA)
Rockville Soccer Club; Gaithersburg, Md.

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

Massachusetts (3)
Bay State Soccer League (Massachusetts Adult State Soccer Assn./USASA)
Brockton FC United; Brockton, Mass.
Kendall Wanderers; Malden, Mass.

United Premier Soccer League (U.S. Adult Soccer Assn.)
Unations FC; Marlborough, Mass.

New Jersey (3)
Garden State Soccer League (New Jersey Soccer Assn./USASA)
Jackson Lions FC; Jackson, N.J.

United Premier Soccer League (U.S. Adult Soccer Assn.)
EFA Metro; Clifton, N.J.
New Jersey Alliance FC; Clifton, N.J.

New York (6)
Eastern Premier Soccer League (USASA Region I)
New Amsterdam FC ll; Warwick, N.Y.
New York Greek American SC*; Bronx, N.Y.
New York Pancyprian Freedoms^/^^; Queens, N.Y.

Rochester District Soccer League (Western New York Soccer Assn./USASA)
IASC Boom; Irondequoit, N.Y.

United Premier Soccer League (U.S. Adult Soccer Assn.)
Oyster Bay United FC; Rockville Centre, N.Y.
Westchester United F.C.; Yonkers, N.Y.

Nevada (2)
United Premier Soccer League (U.S. Adult Soccer Assn.)
BattleBornFC; Minden, Nev.
Villarreal Las Vegas; Las Vegas, Nev.

Pennsylvania (5)
United Premier Soccer League (U.S. Adult Soccer Assn.)
Philadelphia Lone Star FC; Philadelphia, Pa.
Pittsburgh City United FC; Monroeville, Pa.

United Soccer League of Pennsylvania (Eastern Pennsylvania Soccer Assn./USASA)
Philadelphia Ukrainian Nationals**; North Wales, Pa.
United German Hungarians; Ambler, Pa.
Vereinigung Erzgebirge^^; Warminster, Pa.

South Carolina (1)
United Premier Soccer League (U.S. Adult Soccer Assn.)
South Carolina United Heat; Columbia, S.C.

Texas (6)
Dallas Soccer Alliance (U.S. Specialty Sports Assn.)
Lone Star Republic; Dallas, Texas

National Soccer League (U.S. Specialty Sports Assn.)
Athletic Katy FC; Katy, Texas
Houston Hotshots – GPFC; Katy, Texas
San Antonio Runners; San Antonio, Texas

The Roja League (US Club Soccer)
D’Feeters Kicks Soccer Club; Dallas, Texas

United Premier Soccer League (U.S. Adult Soccer Assn.)
Southwest Football Club; El Paso, Texas

Virginia (8)
Eastern Premier Soccer League (USASA Region I)
Nova FC; Leesburg, Va.
Virginia United FC^^; Woodbridge, Va.

United Premier Soccer League (U.S. Adult Soccer Assn.)
Lynchburg FC; Lynchburg, Va.

Woodbridge Soccer League (Asociacion Nacional Fútbol en USA)
Alianza Futbol Club; Woodbridge, Va.
C.A. United; Woodbridge, Va.
Corinto FC; Woodbridge, Va.
Springfield FC; Woodbridge, Va.
Toros FC; Woodbridge, Va.

* Four-time U.S. Open Cup Champion (1967-69, 1974)
^ Three-time U.S. Open Cup Champion (1980, 1982-83)
** Four-time U.S. Open Cup Champion (1960-61, 1963, 1966)
^^ Qualified for cancelled 2020 US Open Cup tournament

2022 US Open Cup: Which NPSL teams could qualify?

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The Denton Diablos celebrate the club’s 2021 NPSL championship. Photo: NPSL

The 2021 National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) season has now finished with the Denton Diablos FC lifting the trophy by defeating Tulsa Athletic. With the entire season completed, we can take a look at which teams will have the highest priority of qualifying for the 2022 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

How this list is made is determined by using the format previously used in the 2020 US Open Cup Open Division Handbook as well as the newly-released 2022 US Open Cup Open Division Handbook.

After years of either steady or increasing berth totals for teams between 2011 and 2018, the NPSL experienced its first decrease in tournament slots in 2019 going from 18 (22 after including last minute Play-in teams) to 14. This stayed steady for the 2020 tournament with 14 entrants before COVID-19 would cancel both the 2020 and 2021 tournaments. With expansion coming across the board from Major League Soccer (MLS), to USL League One (USL1), and the newly-created National Independent Soccer Association (NISA), it would seem likely that the number of berths for both NPSL and USL League Two would go down. Official announcements of preliminary allocations of each Open Division pool (USL League Two, NPSL, and Open Division local qualifying) will be coming in August according to the Open Cup calendar.

NPSL’s CLASSIFICATION RULES

Heading into the 2022 US Open Cup, the NPSL has 76 teams that are eligible for the competition divided into four regions: East (25), South (20), Midwest (18), and West (13). The West Region had two of its three divisions not participate in the main NPSL league competition this season because of the pandemic and restrictions in western states like California, Washington, and Oregon. As a result, NPSL moved one division, the Lone Star Conference, from the South Region to the West Region. Since tournament bids are staggered in a way to reward regions with more teams, this puts teams from the West at a significant disadvantage after the top eight.

The first eight possible berths are awarded to teams that advanced deep into the 2021 NPSL playoffs. Slots one and two are reserved for the champion and runner-up, respectively. Slots three and four are given to the teams that reached the semifinals and teams five through eight are held by the remaining quarterfinalists.

NPSL ranks largely by points per game, but prioritizes at least one Open Cup bid for every division. It’s important to consider where a team plays (conference and division) when you read the teams listed and take extraneous factors into consideration such as teams folding, declaring themselves ineligible, changing leagues, or more.

It’s near certain that teams listed in the top eight are all but guaranteed a spot in the 107th edition of the US Open Cup. After that, teams are ranked based on criteria that the NPSL has come up with in accordance with the Open Cup Committee. This information can be found inside the 2022 edition of the handbook (page 15).

With all that out of the way, here are the 2022 NPSL US Open Cup berth rankings:

1st – Denton Diablos FC (NPSL Champion – Lone Star Conference)
Number of US Open Cup appearances: None

The Denton Diablos are the first ever NPSL national champions from the state of Texas and they did it in only their second season. The 5-2 win in the title game against Tulsa Athletic, including a goal from West Ham product and team captain Eoin Wearen in front of front of 2,394 fans at home, capped off a hectic season and frustrating year and a half. Forward Trevor Amann, who scored six goals during the regular season for the fifth-most in the West Region, scored two more in the championship match to lead his side to it’s first major trophy.

After leading the Lone Star Conference with an 8-1-1 record, Denton cruised to the conference title beating No. 4 seed Katy 1895 FC and No. 2 seed Laredo Heat SC by a combined score of 10-1. Under normal circumstances, Denton would have advanced to the South Region playoffs following that win. However, with both the Golden Gate and Northwest conferences on hiatus due to COVID-19, the league decided to shift the Lone Star into the west. The Diablos dispatched Southwest champion FC Golden State, 4-2, before edging Cleveland SC on the road, 4-3, in a extra-time national semifinal thriller.

The title win follows the team after it had qualified for the 2020 tournament before it’s cancelation. When the 2021 tournament was shrunk down, including the elimination of the entire first round, the team openly voiced their displeasure on social media. Team co-founder Damon Gochneaur talked to TheCup.us last year and finished his remarks by saying:

“Put an asterisk next to this year, because it’s not an Open Cup, it’s a Closed Cup. But this isn’t at all surprising, we began working on our plans for 2022 qualification long ago, and this changes them none.”

In the end, those plans were successful as the club looks ahead to the 2022 US Open Cup.

2nd – Tulsa Athletic (NPSL Runner-up – Heartland Conference)
Number of US Open Cup appearances: 3 (2014, 2015, 2017)
Best Open Cup Finish: 2014 Second Round (2-0 loss vs Oklahoma City Energy FC of the USL Pro)

After an appearance in the South Region Final in 2019, Tulsa Athletic followed up their most successful season with a deep playoff run. While the team failed to take home the title against Denton it did secure the second highest priority allocation spot for NPSL teams wanting to make the 2022 US Open Cup.

After finishing second in the Heartland Conference regular season, Tulsa needed two narrow wins in the playoffs to reach the regional stage. A narrow penalty-kick win over expansion side OKC 1889 FC and a narrow 2-1 win over the top seed Demize NPSL gave the team it’s second straight conference title. Midfielder Joe Garcia led the team in goals with seven in the regular season and three more during the playoffs. Meanwhile, the backline and players like goalkeeper Bryson Reed kept the team’s goals allowed to just nine during the regular season, one of the lowest in the league.

Athletic will be hoping to finally make it’s fourth Open Cup appearance next year after it’s 2020 entry was stopped due to COVID.

3rd – FC Baltimore Christos (NPSL Semifinalist, East Region Champion – Mid-Atlantic Conference)
Number of US Open Cup appearances: 1 (2018)
Best Open Cup Finish: 2018 First Round (1-1 (4:5 pk) loss vs West Chester United SC of USL of Pennsylvania)

A scene from the first half of the First Round match between West Chester United and FC Baltimore Christos in the 2019 US Open Cup. Photo: @finchamphoto
A scene from the first half of the First Round match between West Chester United and FC Baltimore Christos in the 2019 US Open Cup. Photo: @finchamphoto

Following a year of ineligibility after not playing enough regular season games, the Mid-Atlantic Conference powerhouse FC Baltimore Christos completed their most successful season since their founding in 2018. A third straight conference title, East Region Championship, and a first trip to the national semifinals (and hosting) earned the group a top priority slot in USOC allocations.

The team went undefeated regular season (8-0-2) as one of the most dangerous dual threat forces in the league. A defense that allowed only eight goals during the regular season was run by committee most of the season. Former Clemson player Michael Zierhoffer and current University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC) keeper Jailon Gillespie each played one half during most of the season, and it worked. Combined with an offense lead by England native Kelan Swales and University of Maryland player Ben Bender, who each lead the team with six goals each, and you have a force of young talent. The reshaped conference, which now included Open Cup regular Philadelphia Lone Star FC, never felt like much of a threat.

A bye to the conference final allowed Baltimore to cruise to it’s third straight trophy, 3-0, over Lone Star with one goal coming from Guam National Team player Alex Lee. An early second half goal against Hartford City in the East Region semifinals and a penalty kick shootout in the final against FC Motown made sure that Christos’ first regional title did not come easy. The team could not carry the momentum into the national semifinals, even as hosts, as Tulsa Athletic escaped with a 1-0 win following an early first half goal.

While Baltimore is hoping to make it’s second tournament appearance, the Christos name has become synonymous with the competition. Oddly enough, Christos FC and FC Baltimore Christos have never qualified for the same tournament including the cancelled 2020 edition.

4th – Cleveland SC (NPSL Semifinalist, Midwest Region Champion – Rust Belt Conference)
Number of US Open Cup appearances: None

Fun times in Cleveland again! A second straight trip to the national semifinals, including conference and regional titles, has solidified Cleveland SC as one of the top tier teams in the NPSL. Multiple players stood out this season but goalkeeper Conor Cable stood out earning the 2021 Renegade GK NPSL Golden Glove award from the league. In all, his 12 appearances in 2021 saw him allow just 13 goals including postseason matches. Meanwhile head coach Lewis Dunne earned a second straight spot in the Conference XI selections.

After only winning the Rust Belt Conference by two points over Pittsburgh Hotspurs, Cleveland needed to win in the regional quarterfinals as the lowest ranked conference champion. Former AFC Cleveland star and current team leader Vincent Bell struggled to find the net in the playoffs after leading the team in the regular season (6). Instead, players like Admir Suljevic needed to step up. The Bosnia native scored five goals in the postseason, including both penalty kicks in the regional semifinals against FC Milwaukee Torrent (2-1 win), to help push his team to a second year of Midwest silverware.

Despite losing to Denton Diablos in extra time, 4-3 (the second time the team has lost to the eventual champs), Cleveland is once again in prime position to be The Forest City’s representative in the 2021 tournament.

5th – FC Motown (NPSL Quarterfinalist, East Region – Keystone Conference)
Number of US Open Cup appearances: 4 (2016-17 as Clarkstown Eagles*, 2018, 2019)
Best Open Cup Finish: 2018 Round 2 (3-1 loss vs Penn FC of USL)
*Additional appearance in 2017 as local qualifier playing under FC Motown name

Dilly Duka of FC Motown dribbles against the New York Red Bulls U-23s in the 2018 US Open Cup. Photo: Bob Larson | TheCup.us
Dilly Duka of FC Motown dribbles against the New York Red Bulls U-23s in the 2018 US Open Cup. Photo: Bob Larson | TheCup.us

FC Motown will be looking to reach the Open Cup for the fourth straight year as an organization. It’s a feat not many national league teams can hold themselves to in a world where players move on so regularly. But for Motown, the team’s 2021 roster is filled with familiar names, both from their own history and locally. Both defender Roy Boateng and forward Dilly Duka have played professionally within the New York Red Bulls organization. Meanwhile, forward Ryan Peterson made his presence known after he joined the team following a fall championship with Detroit City FC in NISA. After leading the team in goals he was named to both the conference and region XI selections.

After going 0-1-1 in the regular season against Atlantic City FC (following a win being overturned due to a roster infraction), Motown upset the No. 2 seed Aces on the road and held off a late-game comeback, 3-2. In the conference final at home against an unexpected foe, Peterson and former New Amsterdam FC striker Michael Bello each scored a goal to send Celtic to the regionals. What followed in Baltimore was truly both ends of the spectrum when it comes to results; Boateng headed in a 90th minute game winner in the semifinals against Georgia Revolution before three straight missed penalties allowed FC Baltimore Christos to reach the national semifinals.

Motown is still hoping to make a deep run in the tournament to face a professional side. The team’s last appearance ended in 2019’s First Round to the New York Red Bulls U-23s (USL League Two) in one of the tournament’s most exciting matches.

6th – Southern States Soccer Club (NPSL Quarterfinalist, South Region – Gulf Coast Conference)
Number of US Open Cup appearances: None

In a season filled with first-year clubs, Southern States SC is the only one to break the top 15. Despite a three-game scoreless skid midseason , the Stars finished their inaugural year third in the Gulf Coast conference with a record of 9-1-4. Coached by Chelsea Academy product and former Chattanooga FC player Carl Reynolds, the unit is a true mix of local southern talent and overseas players. This includes Oxford, England native and 2020 Seattle Sounders SuperDraft selection Danny Reynolds who led the team with four goals in the regular season.

In the playoffs, a mild upset over No. 2 seed Pensacola FC set up a battle of the underdogs in the conference final. However prior to the match multiple players from No. 4 seed New Orleans Jesters tested positive for COVID-19, forcing the game to be postponed and eventually called off. With one win separating them from the South Region Final, the Stars easily handled Sunshine Conference champion Naples United FC, 5-1, to secure a top eight allocation spot.

If selected for the tournament the Stars could clash with fellow Magnolia State side Mississippi Brilla FC of USL League Two, who also finished their season with a high priority allocation spot.

7th – Minneapolis City SC (NPSL Quarterfinalist, Midwest Region – North Conference)
Number of US Open Cup appearances: None

Going by points-per-game Minneapolis City SC was the regular season champion of the NPSL in 2021. The Crows had the longest winning streak in the league (10 games), scored the most goals of any team during the regular season (44), and had the highest points per game of any team in the league (2.75). Overall the North Conference champions and Midwest Region finalists could be viewed as the most well rounded teams in the country right now.

Their 11-0-1 record was not due to one star player. The team’s leading scorer in the regular season, Mohamed Youssef, only netted six goals which tied him for ninth most in the Midwest Region alone. College players like Eli Goldman and local teenage rising star Kevin Andrews, whose played professionally in Portugal with S.U. Sintrense, are only a two of a wide field of rotating names that kept the Crows atop the standings. This was even seen during the playoffs when three different players scored in Minneapolis’ 3-0 win over Carpathia FC (including Goldman who scored the game winner).

The most successful season in City’s history has put them in the best position to qualify for the tournament that they’ve ever had. But sufficed to say we’ve been here before.

When it comes to the US Open Cup the Crows are best known for not taking part in increasingly heart breaking ways. During the 2017 Open Division Local qualifying tournament they violated tournament rules by switching leagues (from the Premier League of America to the NPSL) in the middle of the qualifying process and were disqualified. In 2018, a top seeded Minneapolis was ranked 16th in NPSL Open Cup rankings but the federation reduced the number of entries to 14, leaving them on the outside looking in. Finally, in 2020, the team finally qualified for a tournament and paired to play Chicago FC United (USL2) in the First Round before COVID-19 brought the tournament, and much of the sports world, to a screeching halt.

8th – FC Golden State (NPSL Quarterfinalist, West Region – Southwest Conference)
Number of US Open Cup appearances: None

FC Golden State is the only team from the West Region proper to break the top 15. Since the much larger Lone Star Conference was added to the west in order to make up the numbers following two conferences going on hiatus, the five teams in the Southwest have almost become afterthoughts. Even still, the benefit of a region only having two conferences is that at least one from each has to make the national quarterfinals.

FCGS finished second in their conference with a record of 5-4-1, one point behind the Las Vegas Legends FC. The team’s 37 goals scored was helped by the influx of talent from the organizations professional outfit, the Los Angeles Force. Four days after falling in the National Independent Soccer Association championship. striker Cristian Gordillo scored four goals for Golden State against Temecula FC. The Mexican national stuck around the squad and played in all three of the team’s playoff matches, scoring two goals in the regional stage. Since this isn’t open division local qualifying, players like Gordillo won’t be cup-tied come the 2022 tournament.

Of note, sister club FC Golden State Force was unable to play last season in USL League Two due to it’s conference going on COVID-19 hiatus. The Force have their own Cup history and were even selected as one of the two open division teams for the 2021 tournament prior to it’s cancelation.

9th – Georgia Revolution (East Region – Southeast Conference, 2.5 points per game)
Number of US Open Cup appearances: 2 (2012, 2013)
Best Open Cup Finish: 2012 Second Round (1-0 loss vs Atlanta Silverbacks of NASL)

The Georgia Revolution completely reinvented themselves in the new look Southeast Conference. With the departure of heavyweight Chattanooga FC last year and the fact that the Revs were the only non-expansion side in the six team conference, the team earned it’s first winning season since 2013 and won it’s first ever conference title. The roster was anything short of familiar however with four-year veteran Sagi Hirsch being the most senior name on the roster on a squad of new faces.

The 8-1-1 record saw Georgia enter the playoffs as the top seed in the conference. A penalty kick win over LSA Athletico Lanier (Louisiana) and a narrow 2-1 win over in-state rival Georgia Storm secured head coach Ricky Davey’s side it’s biggest accomplishment in team history. The trip to Baltimore for the regional playoffs was short however as a second half comeback by FC Motown knocked the Revs one game short of a top eight allocation.

The east’s high team count put the Revolution as the first team on the outside which could mark the end of a near decade tournament doubt.

10th – Miami United (South Region – Sunshine Conference, 2.2 points per game)
Number of US Open Cup appearances: 3 (2015, 2017, 2018)
Best Open Cup Finish: 2018 Fourth Round (3-0 loss vs Orlando City SC of MLS)

David Ochoa of Miami United FC playing against the Jacksonville United FC in the 2018 US Open Cup. Photo: Miami United FC
David Ochoa of Miami United FC playing against the Jacksonville United FC in the 2018 US Open Cup. Photo: Miami United FC

Following the departure of two-time league champion The Miami FC, the other Miami club stepped up its game. Miami United finished first in the highly-competitive conference with a record of 7-1-2 and forward Nicolas Micoli scored the six most goals in the whole league (11). But for the third straight season United’s campaign came to an end in the conference final after a huge 4-1 upset by Naples United.

Prior to the 2020 tournament’s cancelation the team’s Under 23 side earned a spot as an open division local qualifier.

11th – Hartford City FC (East Region – North Atlantic Conference, 2 points per game)
Number of US Open Cup appearances: None

Almost as a follow up to the success of 2019 National Amateur Cup champion Newtown Pride FC, Hartford City FC is looking to become the first open division national league team to qualify since 2010 (Elm City Express). With a 6-2-2 record and North Atlantic Conference title City has a fine resume despite it’s relatively early playoff exit.

Every playoff match for Hartford was decided by one goal. A conference semifinal win over expansion side Valeo FC only came thanks to a lone Noah Silverman goal midway through the first half. Against rival Kingston Stockade FC, with a spot in the regional final four at stake, both teams battled with City barely nudging a 3-2 win. The game was 2-2 after 45 minutes but Cooper Knecht’s second goal of the night was the only one to find the back of the net in the second half. Even the team’s loss in the East Region semifinals was 1-0.

12th – FC Milwaukee Torrent (Midwest Region – Great Lakes Conference, 2.7 points per game)
Number of US Open Cup appearances: None

FC Milwaukee Torrent is hoping to become the first non-open division local side from its city to qualify for the tournament since 2003 (Milwaukee Wave United). After a two year hiatus, the first being self imposed in 2019, Torrent returned to the field and only lost one game in the Great Lakes Conference (9-0-1) regular season. German native Alexander Filian helped lead the team on offense with six goals.

It’s strong record earned it a bye into the Midwest Region semifinals but the team still fell to Cleveland SC, 2-1.

13th – Jacksonville Armada FC U-23 (South Region – Gulf Coast Conference, 2.57 points per game)
Number of (Modern Era) US Open Cup appearances: 3 (2012 & 2014 as Jacksonville United FC*, 2017)
Best Open Cup Finish: 2017 Round 2 (3-0 loss vs Tampa Bay Rowdies of USL)

Despite being a reserve side with no first team Jacksonville Armada U-23 dominated the newly created Gulf Coast Conference in 2021. Lead by Armada/Jacksonville United regular Tommy Križanović, the team broke double digit wins in the regular season going 12-0-2. Players like forward Jovoney Brown (9) and Alexandros Lerides (6) were part of an offensive unit that that used younger talent to great effect.

An upset to No. 4 seed New Orleans Jesters in the conference semifinals and the fact that the Sunshine Conference needed a team listed, lowers Armada’s ranking into the teens.

14th – West Chester United SC (East Region – Keystone Conference, 2.7 points per game)
Number of US Open Cup appearances: 2 (2016*, 2019*)
*As an Open Division Local qualifier
Best Open Cup Finish: 2016 Round 2 (2-0 loss vs City Islanders FC of USL)

West Chester United finished the Keystone Conference regular season with a record of 9-0-1, enough for the top seed in the playoffs and with one of the highest points per game marks in the league. United was able to accomplish this despite the organization pulling double duty with seasons in both the NPSL and USL League Two. However, a conference semifinal upset to No. 4 seed FC Monmouth crushed any hopes for the team’s first deep run in the NPSL playoffs.

There is an interesting situation however. Since West Chester finished atop the Mid Atlantic Division in USL2 they are in line for the third tournament spot from that league. Meaning the team could put both squads in the tournament (with neither being able to face one-another until the final) or they could decline an allocation from one league which would open up a spot for a new team.

15th – Laredo Heat SC (West Region – Lone Star Conference, 2.3 points per game)
Number of US Open Cup appearances: 6
Best Open Cup Finish: 2014 Round 4 (1-0 loss vs Houston Dynamo of MLS)

Houston Dynamo's Will Bruin and Laredo Heat's Adan Villavicencio battle for the ball in their Fourth Round US Open Cup match in 2014. Photo: Wilf Thorne/Houston Dynamo
Houston Dynamo’s Will Bruin and Laredo Heat’s Adan Villavicencio battle for the ball in their Fourth Round US Open Cup match in 2014. Photo: Wilf Thorne/Houston Dynamo

When the topic of Texas non-professional teams pops up the Laredo Heat are bound to be brought up. The team’s six appearances in the tournament makes them one of the most successful open division sides in the Modern Era. This season in the NPSL, the team’s 7-2-1 record was bolstered behind one of the best defenses in the league with only eight goals allowed.

However a poor playoff showing and a region switch has severely crippled the Heat’s chance to return to the tournament. Since the Lone Star Conference was shifted to the 13 team West Region, the at-large slots are few and far between. Two draws in the regular season kept Laredo out from the first seed in the conference playoffs, and a loss to Denton in the conference final kept the team away from a top eight guaranteed spot.

With the last two tournaments, including 2020, only having 14 NPSL teams take part the Heat are right on the edge of making it.

16th – Pittsburgh Hotspurs (Midwest Region – Rust Belt Conference, 2.4 points per game)

17th – Atlantic City FC (East Region – Keystone Conference, 2.6 points per game)

18th – Demize NPSL (South Region – Heartland Conference, 2.4 points per game each)

19th – Duluth FC (Midwest Region – North Conference, 2.25 points per game)

20th – New York Shockers (East Region – North Atlantic Conference, 1.9 points per game)

21st – Las Vegas Legends FC (West Region – Southwest Conference, 2 points per game)

22nd – Pensacola FC (South Region – Gulf Coast Conference, 2.07 points per game)

23rd – Kingston Stockade FC (East Region – North Atlantic Conference, 1.9 points per game)

24th – Med City FC (Midwest Region – North Conference, 2 points per game)

25th – Miami Dutch Lions FC (South Region – Sunshine Conference, 1.9 points per game)

26th – Georgia Storm SA (East Region – Southeast Conference, 1.7 points per game)

27th – Midland-Odessa Sockers FC (West Region – Lone Star Conference, 1.8 points per game)

28th – Carpathia FC (Midwest Region – Great Lakes Conference, 2 points per game)

29th – Naples United FC (South Region – Sunshine Conference, 1.8 points per game)

30th – Valeo FC (East Region – North Atlantic Conference, 1.7 points per game)

31st – FC Buffalo (Midwest Region – Rust Belt Conference, 1.4 points per game)

32nd – Northern Virginia United (East Region – Mid-Atlantic Conference, 1.7 points per game)

33rd – OKC 1889 FC (South Region – Heartland Conference, 1.7 points per game)

34th – FC Arizona (West Region – Southwest Conference, 1.7 points per game)

35th – Appalachian FC (East Region – Southeast Conference, 1.6 points per game)

36th – FC Columbus (Midwest Region – Great Lakes Conference, 1.4 points per game)

37th – New Orleans Jesters (South Region – Gulf Coast Conference, 1.43 points per game)

38th – Katy 1895 FC (West Region – Lone Star Conference, 1.4 points per game)

39th – LSA Athletico Lanier (East Region – Southeast Conference, 1.3 points per game)

40th – Boca Raton FC (South Region – Sunshine Conference, 1.4 points per game)

41st – Joy St. Louis Park (Midwest Region – North Conference, 1.17 points per game)

42nd – FC Monmouth (East Region – Keystone Conference, 1.2 points per game)

43rd – Irving FC (West Region – Lone Star Conference, 1.4 points per game)

44th – Central Florida Panthers SC (South Region – Sunshine Conference, 1.2 points per game)

45th – Philadelphia Lone Star FC (East Region – Mid-Atlantic Conference, 1.2 points per game)

46th – Dakota Fusion FC (Midwest Region –North Conference, 1 point per game)

47th – First State FC (East Region – Keystone Conference, 1 point per game)

48th – Arkansas Wolves SC (South Region – Heartland Conference, 1.2 points per game)

49th – Panathinaikos Chicago (Midwest Region – Great Lakes Conference, 0.9 points per game)

50th – Coyotes FC (West Region – Lone Star Conference, 1.2 points per game)

51st – Boston City FC (East Region – North Atlantic Conference, 1 point per game)

52nd – AFC Mobile (South Region – Gulf Coast Conference, 1.07 points per game)

53rd – Sioux Falls Thunder FC (Midwest Region – North Conference, 0.75 points per game)

54th – Electric City Shock (East Region – Keystone Conference, 1 point per game)

55th – Port City FC (South Region – Gulf Coast Conference, 0.93 points per game)

56th – ASC San Diego (West Region – Southwest Conference, 0.9 points per game)

57th – Torch FC (East Region – Keystone Conference, 0.9 points per game)

58th – Erie Commodores FC (Midwest Region – Rust Belt Conference, 0.7 points per game)

59th – Tallahassee FC (South Region – Gulf Coast Conference, 0.93 points per game)

60th – Virginia Beach City FC (East Region – Mid-Atlantic Conference, 0.8 points per game)

61st – Rochester Lancers (Midwest Region – Rust Belt Conference, 0.7 points per game)

62nd – FC Brownsville (West Region – Lone Star Conference, 0.8 points per game)

63rd – North Alabama SC (East Region – Southeast Conference, 0.7 points per game)

64th – Reign FK (South Region – Heartland Conference, 0.9 points per game)

65th – Syracuse FC (Midwest Region – Rust Belt Conference, 0.6 points per game)

66th – FC Frederick (East Region – Mid-Atlantic Conference, 0.7 points per game)

67th – Florida Roots FC (South Region – Gulf Coast Conference, 0.36 points per game)

68th – Temecula FC (West Region – Southwest Conference, 0.4 points per game)

69th – Metro Louisville FC (East Region – Southeast Conference, 0.7 points per game)

70th – LC Aris FC (Midwest Region – North Conference, 0.25 points per game)

71st – Storm FC (South Region – Sunshine Conference, 0 points per game)

72nd – Hershey FC (East Region – Keystone Conference, 0 points per game)

73rd – Fort Worth Vaqueros FC (West Region – Lone Star Conference, 0.1 points per game)

74th – FC Indiana (Midwest Region – Great Lakes Conference, 0.2 points per game)

75th – Dallas City FC (South Region – Heartland Conference, 0 points per game)

76th – Greater Lowell Rough Diamonds (East Region – North Atlantic Conference, 0 points per game)

Michael Battista contributed to this article.

Which NPSL, USL League Two teams are likely to play in 2020 US Open Cup?

by

The Des Moines Menace huddle up before kickoff of their First Round match vs. Duluth FC in the 2019 US Open Cup. Photo: Des Moines Menace
The Des Moines Menace huddle up before kickoff of their First Round match vs. Duluth FC in the 2019 US Open Cup. Photo: Des Moines Menace

Despite the official announcement not happening until Jan. 9, teams from both recognized Open Division National Leagues (National Premier Soccer League and USL League Two) have been receiving word and announcing their acceptance into the 2020 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup on social media.

Not all the news is good however. Earlier this month, US Soccer announced the revamped format for the 2020 tournament which included teams from Major League Soccer entering in separate rounds and the First Round kicking off in March. The latter note comes at a cost for some Open Division teams that rely on NCAA athletes who are not allowed to play in the tournament before May 1. It has already been announced that both Reading United AC and the Flint City Bucks, the 2019 USL-2 finalists, have already publicly stated they will not field teams in the tournament due to roster concerns. TheCup.us also confirmed that the NPSL’s Midland-Odessa Sockers FC, who have qualified three times in the last five years, will also not be participating due to the schedule change.

With more teams switching leagues or declining spots, TheCup.us has been able to track down and confirm the 13 NPSL and 10 USL-2 teams that will join the 13 Open Division Local qualifiers in the First Round come March.

#USOC2020 ESSENTIALS

Newtown Pride FC win first Amateur Cup title, qualify for 2020 US Open Cup
2020 US Open Cup Qualifying Schedule / Results
2020 US Open Cup Qualifying Round 1 Game-By-Game Review
2020 US Open Cup Qualifying Round 2 Game-By-Game Review
2020 US Open Cup Qualifying Win & You’re In Weekend Game-By-Game Review
2020 US Open Cup Qualifying Goalscoring Leaders

USL League Two champion Flint City Bucks sitting out 2020 US Open Cup after schedule ‘travesty’
Reading United AC declines 2020 US Open Cup entry due to ‘abhorrent’ schedule change, more teams to follow
Without college players available, 2020 US Open Cup schedule cripples NPSL, USL-2 teams

In our 18th year of covering the US Open Cup, support TheCup.us by joining our Patreon team!

National Premier Soccer League

Since 2011, National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) teams have been awarded berths in the US Open Cup based on previous season results. Coming into 2020, that has not changed. However, as a result of teams joining other leagues and teams not being able to field a roster due to a lack of NCAA talent, some of the highest “ranked” teams will not be collecting their league allocated slot. This means, the next best team from their region can claim it.

This is easily trackable using our NPSL Open Cup ranking article (Ex: Miami FC is not participating through NPSL, so the next best South Region team, Tulsa Athletic, moves into the #1 spot).

Teams that were in-line or close to having a berth but declining are:
(*Would not have made it without teams from their region declining)

  • Miami FC (Moved to NISA, will not field team in NPSL)
  • New York Cosmos B (Will not field team in NPSL) (Confirmed)
  • Detroit City FC (Moved to NISA, will not field team in NPSL) (Confirmed)
  • Midland-Odessa Sockers FC (Confirmed to TheCup.us)
  • Chattanooga FC (Moved to NISA, will not field team in NPSL)
  • Brooklyn Italians (Will not field team in NPSL) (First reported by TheCup.us)
  • Orange County FC*
  • AFC Ann Arbor (Moved to USL-2)*
  • Grand Rapids FC (Moved to USL-2)*
  • Greenville FC*

Here are the NPSL teams that will compete in the 2020 US Open Cup:

(*Would not have qualified without a team declining a spot)

  • Tulsa Athletic (NPSL Quarterfinalist, South Region – Heartland Conference) (Tweet)
  • FC Motown (Northeast Region – Keystone Conference) (Tweet)
  • ASC San Diego (NPSL Semifinalist, West Region – Southwest Conference) (Tweet)
  • Cleveland SC (NPSL Semifinalist, Midwest Region – East Conference) (Tweet)
  • Naples United FC (South Region – Sunshine Conference)* (Instagram Post)
  • FC Arizona (NPSL Quarterfinalist, West Region – Southwest Conference) (Instagram Post)
  • Minneapolis City SC (Midwest Region – North Conference) (Tweet)
  • Atlantic City FC (Northeast Region – Keystone Conference) (Tweet)*
  • Denton Diablos FC (South Region – Lone Star Conference) (Tweet)*
  • FC Davis (West Region – Golden Gate Conference) (Tweet)
  • Med City FC (Midwest Region – North Conference) (Facebook post)*
  • Miami United FC (South Region – Sunshine Conference)*
  • West Chester United SC (Northeast Region – Keystone Conference) (Tweet)*
  • Fort Worth Vaqueros (South Region – Lone Star Conference) (Tweet)*

Of note is that Miami United FC’s Under-23 team also qualified for the tournament through local qualifying. The organization has confirmed to TheCup.us that both squads will play in 2020. According to Open Cup rules, they will not be allowed to play one another unless both reach the Final.

USL League Two

USL League Two teams (formerly the Premier Development League) have been receiving first round spots in the US Open Cup since the start of the Modern Era in 1995. This year will be no different. However, as a result of teams switching leagues and teams not being able to accommodate the March start date of the 2020 tournament, some of the highest ranked teams will not be collecting their league allocated spot meaning the next highest team will be awarded.

It’s also unclear if there was a change to USL League Two’s allocation process as the Flint City Bucks say they have declined the spot offered to them. They were originally 14th on our ranking list, but as league champion they may have been offered a US Open Cup berth.

Besides Flint City, two other teams will not be taking their spot in the tournament. Reading United, as Mid-Atlantic Division Champion, has declined their spot due to the schedule change, ending their Modern Era record streak of 11 qualifications in a row.

Colorado Pride Switchbacks U-23s, the Mountain Division champion, will not be fielding a team in USL-2 next season at all, so their spot is given to another team.

Here are the qualified teams:

  • Des Moines Menace (Heartland Division champion)
  • Western Mass Pioneers (Northeast Division champion) (Tweet)
  • FC Golden State Force (Southwest Division champion)
  • South Georgia Tormenta FC 2 (Deep South Division champion)
  • The Villages SC (Southeast Division champion) (Tweet)
  • Chicago FC United (Great Lakes Division champion) (Tweet)
  • North Carolina Fusion U23 (South Atlantic Division champion) (Tweet)
  • GPS Portland Phoenix (At-Large)
  • SC United Phantoms (At-Large) (Tweet)
  • Corpus Christi FC (At-Large) (Tweet)

We are still waiting to hear back from one more division winner, the Mid South Division champion Brazos Valley Cavalry on whether they have entered into the cup. The next team in line after that is Ventura County Fusion. Ventura County is still exploring the option of playing.

Without college players available, 2020 US Open Cup schedule cripples NPSL, USL-2 teams

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Reading United Philadelphia Lone Star 2019 US Open Cup
Photo: Matt Ralph | Brotherly Game

When the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) announced changes to the schedule for the 2020 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, it delivered a major blow to the two Open Division national leagues at the core of the tournament’s tier of underdogs. The federation announced that the competition’s 107th edition will begin the week of March 24-25, the earliest start to the US Open Cup in the Modern Era (1995-present).

Every year, teams from the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) and USL League Two (USL-2) have competed in the Open Cup using rosters that are almost entirely made up of active college players. With the earlier start, the NPSL and USL-2 teams will be crippled because they will be unable to use those players.

Due to this schedule change, some teams, all of which are strong candidates to be chosen for next year’s tournament, have told TheCup.us they may take their name out of consideration for the 2020 US Open Cup. According to those teams, the time and resources it would take to enter the competition would not be worth it if they would have to enter a sub-par team.

According to NCAA rules, college soccer players are not allowed to compete in a competition outside of their school prior to May 1.

17.19.8.1.1.2 May 1 Exception. A student-athlete in soccer may compete outside an institution’s declared playing and practice season as a member of an outside team in any noncollegiate amateur competition, provided: (Adopted: 1/14/97 effective 8/1/97, Revised: 10/31/02)
(a) Such participation occurs not earlier than May 1;
(b) The number of student-athletes from any one institution does not exceed five;
(c) The competition is approved by the institution’s director of athletics; and
(d) No class time is missed for practice activities or for competition.

The teams that rely on college players would not only be without their services for the opening round, but the new US Open Cup schedule plans to complete the first three rounds of the competition before May 1. Reaching the Fourth Round is already challenging enough — only 17 Open Division clubs have done it since MLS launched in 1996. Now Open Division clubs would have to win three games with a pieced together roster which could make Cinderella runs more difficult.

USL League Two has been competing in the US Open Cup since the beginning of the Modern Era (1995), while teams from the NPSL first entered the competition in 2003, however, the league did not receive its own spots in the tournament until 2011. In the Modern Era, the Open Division level, which is made up of almost all amateur teams, have upset 82 clubs from the top three professional divisions in this country. Out of those 82 upsets, 56 of them came from teams from USL League Two and six of them came from NPSL clubs.

TheCup.us reached out to several NPSL and USL-2 teams for comment on the schedule change, and nearly all of them opposed the move.

“We are extremely frustrated with U.S. Soccer’s decision,” said Reading United AC Vice President Art Auchenbach. “They are going to lose some of the ‘magic of the cup’ by eliminating the Under-23 segment from participation. Hopefully, they will recognize the error of their ways and rethink it for the future.”

While Auchenbach gave a diplomatic answer when asked for comment on his way back from the USL League Two meetings in Orlando, his Twitter feed told a more subdued story.

In the eyes of the USSF, the teams that rely on college players were collateral damage in the effort to improve the tournament.

“The Open Cup Committee decided to start the competition earlier so that the tournament as a whole benefits from more time between rounds,” said a U.S. Soccer spokesperson. “Home teams will now have more time to promote and sell tickets, visiting teams will be able to arrange travel earlier and with more flexibility at lower cost, while those handling broadcast production will be able to make arrangements within a more manageable timeline. While U.S. Soccer recognizes that teams dependent on college players may need to look elsewhere to fill their rosters for Open Cup games in March and April, the Committee feels this scheduling step is necessary to drive increased interest in the tournament, help maximize sales for all involved and, ultimately, build a more credible competition across the U.S. Soccer spectrum.”

Since 2010, the first two or three, and sometimes four, rounds of the tournament would take place on consecutive weeks. This would create a challenge for amateur clubs and lower division professional teams to market the games and arrange travel. While, the federation does cover some of the travel costs, giving more time in between matches could give teams an opportunity to arrange more affordable travel, and give players an opportunity to make arrangements for a road game.

After the announcement of the changes, one team official told TheCup.us they believe the goal is to minimize the number of pro teams getting knocked out by amateur underdogs.

“U.S. Soccer has single-handedly and purposely destroyed the first three rounds of the Open Cup,” they said. “They don’t want any more amateur upsets and that is embarrassing.”

According to TheCup.us projections, the Western Mass Pioneers of USL League Two are expected to make their 12th appearance in the tournament next spring, and they know it won’t be easy.

“It’s always a great honor to qualify for the Open Cup,” said Pioneers spokesperson Brandon Smith. “Advancing in the Cup gives us an important opportunity to host home games, potentially with a MLS team. But as a pre-professional organization, we are reliant on elite college players to fill our franchise. An early start for us greatly hurts our chances to advance in the tournament. But we will do our best to recruit players and be competitive.”

MORE: Which NPSL teams will qualify for 2020 US Open Cup?

MORE: Which USL League Two teams could qualify for 2020 US Open Cup?

MORE: 2020 US Open Cup Projections: Possible format and who could play in 107th tournament this Spring

The new date will be tough for NPSL clubs like Cleveland SC, but they feel like it will be the players who will hurt the most by this change.

“We have to put some additional resources toward fulfilling a roster for a March date,” said Cleveland SC president Sam Seibert. “Quite honestly we have several players that will still be with their college programs that not only will be upset about not being able to compete in but they also deserve to be there. I think the change is unfair to NCAA players … however, if this change means there will be more opportunities for lower-level clubs to compete against USL and MLS clubs, I’m for it.”

While nearly every team TheCup.us spoke with was disappointed with the decision, one team official said if you can only compete with college players, then you shouldn’t enter the US Open Cup.

“ essentially eliminates USL-2 teams,” said Sonny Dalessandro, owner of the NPSL’s Tulsa Athletic. “ rules and age restrictions handcuff them to using college players. It’s the same for a lot of NPSL clubs as well … We have a core group of older players that can be very competitive and represent us well, so we’ll give it a shot. USL-2 teams should have never been allowed in. My thought is that if a team cannot, in theory, win a competition due to NCAA timelines when players have to return to their schools, they shouldn’t be allowed into the competition in the first place. Would they have won it all? No. That’s not the point though. The point is that every entrant should represent a team eligible to win. The new rule set changes that theory, and for that, I like it.”

What Dalessandro is referring to is the fact that an Open Division team is severely limited in their potential in the Open Cup. It’s just an issue that no one has faced since MLS joined the tournament in 1996. If an Open Division team that features a roster loaded with college players was to make a miracle run to the Quarterfinals or beyond, they would likely not be able to field a full team. Once the calendar turns to August, most of those players would be gone. NCAA rules require players to return to their respective schools 21 days prior to their team’s first game of the season.

The Open Division participants for the 107th edition of the US Open Cup will be announced on Jan. 9, 2020.

 

#USOC2020 ESSENTIALS

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2020 US Open Cup Qualifying Schedule / Results
2020 US Open Cup Qualifying Round 1 Game-By-Game Review
2020 US Open Cup Qualifying Round 2 Game-By-Game Review
2020 US Open Cup Qualifying Win & You’re In Weekend Review
2020 US Open Cup Qualifying Goalscoring Leaders

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Which NPSL teams will qualify for 2020 US Open Cup?

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Miami FC celebrate their 2019 NPSL championship. Photo: NPSL
Miami FC celebrate their 2019 NPSL championship. Photo: NPSL

The 2019 National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) season was just as much about off-the-field activities as it was on-the-field play. A new proposed professional league with up to 11 members, a tournament to launch the project off, new teams kicking off, and more, were all some of the pieces that made the year interesting. However, as the summer season comes to a close, many things have changed as the future of the league and some of the best teams remains uncertain. Despite this, we now have a clearer picture as to what teams have the inside track to qualify for the 2020 edition of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

How this list is made is determined by using the format previously used in the 2019 US Open Cup Handbook and the newly released 2020 US Open Cup Open Division Handbook.

After years of either steady or increasing berth totals for teams between 2011 and 2018, the NPSL experienced its first decrease in tournament slots in 2019 going from 18 (22 after including last minute Play-in teams) to 14. With expansion coming across the board from Major League Soccer, to USL League One, and the newly-created National Independent Soccer Association (NISA), it would seem likely that the number of berths for both NPSL and USL League Two would go down.

There is hope however, as it was announced last month in the 2020 Open Cup Open Division Handbook that the First Round of the tournament would kick-off in late March or early April 2020. While there is no set format for the tournament yet, it is possible this early start could function as a round where more local qualifiers or Open Division teams join the tournament early – similar to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament’s First Four. Only one other Open Division team is a known participant in next year’s tournament: Connecticut side Newtown Pride FC who won the 2019 National Amateur Cup earlier this month.

NPSL’s CLASSIFICATION RULES

Heading into the 2019 US Open Cup, the NPSL has 87 teams that are eligible for the competition divided into four regions: South (25), West (24), Midwest (21), and Northeast (17). The Northeast Region, which would typically have 22 teams, loses the five clubs from the Mid-Atlantic Conference due to them not playing a 10-game regular season – a required minimum for Open Cup qualification. Since tournament bids are staggered in a way to reward regions with more teams, this puts teams from the Northeast at a significant disadvantage after the top eight.

Orange County FC celebrates after their 2019 US Open Cup Second Round match against Orange County SC. OCFC won 5-3 in PKs after a 2-2 draw to become just the 5th NPSL team to upset a pro team. Photo: Glenn Feingerts
Orange County FC celebrates after their 2019 US Open Cup Second Round match against Orange County SC. OCFC won 5-3 in PKs after a 2-2 draw to become just the 5th NPSL team to upset a pro team. Photo: Glenn Feingerts

Additionally, it is unclear how the NPSL will rank teams from the Keystone Conference since it’s champion, FC Motown, was directly impacted by being beaten by a Mid-Atlantic side, FC Baltimore Christos, to reach the final eight. In this case we’ve listed out two options as it affects the Northeast Region’s Keystone Conference: the left side represents if the list starts with the best playoff performance from the Keystone and then goes into points per game (PPG), while the right starts with the best team from the conferences in PPG order. These affect places 8, 18, and 24 on the list.

The first eight possible berths are awarded to teams that advanced deep into the 2018 NPSL playoffs. Slots one and two are reserved for the champion and runner-up, respectively. Slots three and four are given to the teams that reached the semifinals and teams four through eight are held by the remaining quarterfinalists.

NPSL ranks largely by points per game, but prioritizes at least one Open Cup bid for every division. It’s important to consider where a team plays (conference and division) when you read the teams listed and take extraneous factors into consideration such as teams folding, declaring themselves ineligible, changing leagues, or more.

There are many teams in the top spots with announced plans to move to professional leagues (NISA or NPSL’s possible semi-pro league) but as seen with Tormenta 2 last year, a team’s berth can be given to a newly-created amateur team that stays in the league while the first team moves on.

It’s near certain that teams listed in the top eight are all but guaranteed a spot in the 107th edition of the US Open Cup. After that, teams are ranked based on criteria that the NPSL has come up with in accordance with the Open Cup Committee. This information can be found inside the 2020 edition of the handbook (page 15).

With all that out of the way, here are the 2020 NPSL US Open Cup berth rankings:

#1 – Miami FC (NPSL Champion, South Region – Sunshine Conference)
Number of US Open Cup appearances: 4*
*2016-19 … including Miami FC NASL history and Miami FC 2 NPSL history
Best Open Cup Finish: 2017 Quarterfinals (1-0 loss vs FC Cincinnati of USL)

Players from Florida Soccer Soldiers (yellow) and Miami FC battle for the ball in the First Round of the 2019 US Open Cup. Photo: Orovio Photography
Players from Florida Soccer Soldiers (yellow) and Miami FC battle for the ball in the First Round of the 2019 US Open Cup. Photo: Orovio Photography

For the first time in history, the NPSL has a two-time league champion. Miami FC, which won the title last year under the name Miami FC 2, became the first team in the league’s 20+ year history to win back-to-back titles after the group beat fellow former North American Soccer League (NASL) side New York Cosmos B, 4-1, on Aug. 3.

Miami’s eighth trophy in four years has surely qualified them for a spot in the US Open Cup in 2020. The team has a lengthy resume in the tournament, with the high of reaching the Quarterfinals in 2017 after beating two MLS sides in Orlando City SC and Atlanta United FC – the latter one year away from winning MLS Cup, while also recently losing in 2019’s First Round to the Florida Soccer Soldiers, one of this year’s Cinderella stories, 2-1, after giving up two second half goals. Interestingly, the club has never lost in the same round twice in its four previous Open Cup runs.

This year, the team only lost one game in the regular season en route to a 9-1-0 record. They followed that up with another conference title in the playoffs by downing Jacksonville Armada U-23s and Miami United FC – the latter needing a late game comeback. On the regional side, a chippy battle against Chattanooga FC saw the team scored twice in the second half to advance to the regional final where Tulsa Athletic was handily defeated, 4-1. The final challenge before the final was the league’s final non-professional team left standing, Cleveland SC, who scored early on Miami but could not stay ahead as they fell, 4-1.

#2 – New York Cosmos B (NPSL Finalist, Northeast Region – North Atlantic Conference)
Number of US Open Cup appearances: 6 (2014-2019 … including New York Cosmos NASL history)
Best Open Cup Finish: 2018 Fifth Round (2014, 2015, 2016)

Aaron Dennis celebrates his goal for the New York Cosmos against Black Rock FC in the First Round of the 2019 US Open Cup. Photo: Matthew Levine | New York Cosmos
Aaron Dennis celebrates his goal for the New York Cosmos against Black Rock FC in the First Round of the 2019 US Open Cup. Photo: Matthew Levine | New York Cosmos

The New York Cosmos B may have failed to add another NPSL Championship to their resume but the team’s performance during the season wow’d fans at both Mitchel Athletic Complex and Columbia University in New York City.

This is the second year that the Cosmos’ NPSL team has acted as the club’s “senior” team, after the NASL went on hiatus following the conclusion of the 2017 season. The team’s second season was much better than the first, winning the North Atlantic Conference with an undefeated record of 13-0-1. The Cosmos won the subsequent conference playoffs over the only team they dropped points to, the Brooklyn Italians, 1-0, before beating FC Baltimore in the Northeast Region Final, 3-1. The three pieces of silverware were thanks to an overpowering offense. The reason the team only allowed four goals in the regular season is more on the fact that they scored 47 through 14 more than any defensive strategy.

Forward Bljedi Bardic, who scored the late-game winner in the team’s 2019 US Open Cup First Round match against Black Rock FC and scored one of the goals of the tournament in a losing effort to Hartford Athletic in the Second Round, earned the triple after taking home conference, regional, and national XI honors for his efforts.

The Cosmos organization hasn’t reached the Fifth Round of the tournament since 2016 while it had a club playing in the NASL. Now that the club starts play as an Open Division competitor, it will have more challenges to face if it wants a chance to defeat an MLS side for a fourth time.

#3 – ASC San Diego (NPSL Semifinalist, West Region – Southwest Conference)
Number of US Open Cup appearances: 1 (2017 … as Albion SC Pros)
Best Open Cup Finish: 2017 First Round (3-2 loss vs Chula Vista FC of the USASA)

Despite only barely making the playoffs (ranked 25th in the final NPSL Power Rankings), and only averaging a 2.06 goal-per-game average, ASC San Diego’s deep playoff run has set it up to return to the US Open Cup for a second time. In a city where two professional teams have been recently announced, Ziggy Korytoski’s team won three road games in a row to reach the National Semifinals behind a goalkeeper and stout defense that played well when it mattered.

In a stacked Southwest Conference, San Diego finished one point above 2019 US Open Cup Cinderella story Orange County FC to earn the third playoff spot for the conference into the regional playoffs. The team traveled to three separate states as it took on fellow California team FC Golden State, Washington state’s Crossfire Redmond, and the self-named FC Arizona while beating all of them on either penalty kicks or by a single goal. Goalkeeper Jean Antoine was a key factor, including offensively when he stepped up for a penalty kick in the team’s win over FCGS, but not even he could stop New York Cosmos B. The team fell in New York, it’s fourth state in as many weeks, 2-0, in the semifinals.

#4 – Cleveland SC (NPSL Semifinalist, Midwest Region – East Conference)
Number of US Open Cup appearances: None

Fun times in Cleveland today! In only its second season, Cleveland SC outdid its inaugural performance by winning the Eastern Conference, the Midwest Region, and reaching the NPSL National Semifinals. In the ten games that the team played during the regular season, only two were losses while the rest resulted in three points. A team that had success in nearly every category, Cleveland saw a player take home conference XI honors for every position including head coach Ryan Osborne while goalkeeper Marijo Musa took home both conference and Midwest Region XI honors.

The top seed in the Midwest Region faced the Rochester Lancers, who were coming off short rest after resuming a halted game the day before to advance, and won, 6-4, in extra time. The next challenge was Detroit City FC in the regional final, something DCFC had already won once back in 2017. At halftime and down by two goals, coach Osborne stuck with his already tested players which allowed Tom Beck and Antonio Manfut to equalize before 15 minutes had past. In penalties, with both teams down men due to red cards, three skied shots from Detroit saw Cleveland reach the National Semifinals for the first time in club history and for the first time in the city since the former AFC Cleveland had won the NPSL championship in 2016.

Despite losing to Miami FC, 4-1, on the road, the team is in prime position for The Forest City to be represented in the US Open Cup in 2020.

#5 – Tulsa Athletic (NPSL Quarterfinalist, South Region – Heartland Conference)
Number of US Open Cup appearances: 3 (2014, 2015, 2017)
Best Open Cup Finish: 2014 Second Round (2-0 loss vs Oklahoma City Energy FC of the USL Pro)

3,834 fans showed up to watch the Tulsa Athletics and the Oklahoma City Energy play their first US Open Cup game. Photo: Tulsa Athletics

Tulsa Athletic have always been a force in the Heartland Conference but for a second time in club history the team fell at the doorstep of the National Semifinals. The top eight finish should be enough for the club to qualify for it’s fourth trip to the US Open Cup and first in three years.

The A’s cruised to the conference regular season title with an unbeaten record of 7-0-3, totaling 24 points and a full 11 ahead of second place Little Rock Rangers. Head coach Joey Ryan and his group only allowed eight goals heading into the conference playoffs where they only allowed two more in two games while scoring a total of eight. A lopsided, 6-2 win over Ozark FC set up a conference title match between Demize NPSL which the team won, 2-0.

Lonestar Conference champion Fort Worth Vaqueros put up a valiant effort but work from regional XI defender Gustavo Vargas helped his team to a 3-1 win. A loss in the South Region Final, 4-1, to Miami FC ended the team’s season.

#6 – FC Arizona (NPSL Quarterfinalist, West Region – Southwest Conference)
Number of US Open Cup appearances: 1 (2017)
Best Open Cup Finish: 2017 First Round (1-0 loss vs Sporting Arizona FC of the United Premier Soccer League)

FC Arizona has steadily inched itself into the US Soccer landscape and with its best result in NPSL to date under its belt, a second US Open Cup berth looks to be on the table. The squad reached the Elite Eight of the league playoffs while playing against some of the toughest competition the NPSL has to offer.

The team finished second in the Southwest Conference behind the offensive juggernaut that was FC Golden State (67 goals in 18 games). Despite stiff competition across the board, Arizona finished with a 12-1-5 record. Forward Cesar Mexia earned conference, regional, and national XI honors. This was in addition to his other honor: 2019 NPSL Golden Boot winner. The Obregón, Sonora, Mexico native’s 18 goals during the regular season helped propel his team into the postseason, where he once again showed his skill by scoring the go-ahead goal in his team’s 4-0 win against San Ramon FC in the West Region Quarterfinals.

A extra-time goal against last year’s US Open Cup Open Division local qualifier Academica SC helped the team reach the regional final for the first time in club history. However, ASC San Diego, who upset FC Golden State in the regional quarterfinals, continued their unexpected run after an FCA own-goal gave them a lead and advancement, 2-1. Still the club will be looking for a chance to redeem it’s 2017 First Round loss to local qualifier Sporting Arizona FC should they return in the 2020 US Open Cup.

#7 – Detroit City FC (NPSL Quarterfinalist, Midwest Region – Great Lakes Conference)
Number of US Open Cup appearances: 4 (2014, 2015, 2016, 2018)
Best Open Cup Finish: 2016 Second Round (1-1 (3:1 PKs) loss vs Louisville City FC of the USL Championship)

Detroit City FC fans celebrate a PK shootout win over the Michigan Bucks in the 2018 US Open Cup. Photo: Jon DeBoer | DCFC
Detroit City FC fans celebrate a PK shootout win over the Michigan Bucks in the 2018 US Open Cup. Photo: Jon DeBoer | DCFC

One of the fastest growing brands in the NPSL, Detroit City FC finished the 2019 season with a respectable finish in the Midwest Regional Final. A penalty kick loss, 2-2 (3-2), including three attempts that were launched over the crossbar might be the last soccer the club plays until the Members Cup tournament kicks off but the play that got them there is definitely enough for a US Open Cup berth.

The team finished up regular season play in the Great Lakes Conference with a near perfect record of 10-1-3 and 39 goals scored – 14 more than the next best team, second place AFC Ann Arbor. Two 5-0 wins against FC Indiana and a season sweep against Toledo Villa FC with a combined scoreline of 11-0 are only some of the examples of how dangerous Trevor James’ team can be. Forward Max Todd was a huge part of that front line and the Great Lakes Conference XI member showed that by scoring the game-clinching goal against Minneapolis City FC in the Region Semifinals.

For a team with professional ambitions that has never beaten a professional side in the US Open Cup, 2020 may be a turning point for the Motor City club.

#8 – FC Motown/Atlantic City FC (Northeast Region – Keystone Conference, 1.9/2.2 points per game)

FC Motown:
Number of US Open Cup appearances: 4 (2016-17 as Clarkstown Eagles*, 2018, 2019)
Best Open Cup Finish: 2018 Round 2 (3-1 loss vs Penn FC of USL)
*Additional appearance in 2017 as local qualifier playing under FC Motown name

Atlantic City FC:
Number of US Open Cup appearances: None

The first of three Keystone Conference conundrums sees 2018’s NPSL National Finalist and 2019’s Keystone Conference regular season champion face-off. With Northeast Region bids coming the least often of the four conference, and Keystone only getting half of those, it’s within the realm of possibility that the team that makes it here is the sole representation for the group.

FC Motown will be looking to reach the Open Cup for the third straight year as an organization in the league and fourth overall under the name. Following a loss in 2019’s First Round to the New York Red Bulls U-23s (USL League Two) in one of the tournament’s most exciting matches, the team kept playing along in the regular season but couldn’t break through to the top of the table. With only a 1.9 points per game average and a record of 6-3-1, the stats alone wouldn’t be enough for the team to qualify.

Dilly Duka of FC Motown scores what would be the game-winning goal against the New York Red Bulls U-23s in the 2018 US Open Cup. Photo: Bob Larson | TheCup.us
Dilly Duka of FC Motown scores what would be the game-winning goal against the New York Red Bulls U-23s in the 2018 US Open Cup. Photo: Bob Larson | TheCup.us

On the last day of the regular season with five teams vying for four conference playoff spots, Motown fell to Atlantic City FC but did enough to earn the third seed. An upset win over West Chester United SC, 3-2, in which the home team scored twice in the second half to nearly comeback set-up a final at Madison University against fourth seed Philadelphia Lone Star FC. Both squads were upset in the First Round of the US Open Cup only a few months prior and a trophy might have been the first step toward another chance in 2020. Motown’s Joseph Fala scored 20 minutes in and Chris Katona sealed the game with a late penalty kick to win the conference title, 2-0.

The team’s loss to the US Open Cup ineligible FC Baltimore in the Northeast Conference semifinal puts this eighth spot in limbo as the committee decides how to rank the teams.

On the other side, Atlantic City FC completed its second season by taking home silverware as the Keystone Conference regular season champions. The team edged West Chester for the top seed via the head-to-head tiebreaker after the two teams met in the season opener resulting in a 4-1 win for ACFC. After that, the team climbed the table past WCU, Motown, FC Monmouth and others to finish with a 7-2-1 record. For their efforts, goalkeeper Matt Perella, midfielder Walter Calderon, and forward Alexander Satrustegui earned conference honors while Calderon took home Northeast Region XI honors as well.

The team’s first-ever playoffs ended after a rain-soaked match against Philly Lone Star ended in a 2-1 defeated, but with a 2.2 points per game average, the best in the conference, the team has a chance to make its first-ever US Open Cup and become the first team ever from Monopoly City to qualify for the tournament in the Modern Era.

#9 – Midland-Odessa Sockers FC (South Region – Lone Star Conference, 2.42 points per game)
Number of US Open Cup appearances: 2 (2015*, 2018, 2019)
* As member of USL League Two (formerly PDL)
Best Open Cup Finish: 2015 Second Round (3-1 loss vs Oklahoma City Energy FC of USL)

Players from FC Denver and Midland-Odessa Sockers FC (blue) battle for the ball in their First Round match in the 2019 US Open Cup. Photo: Midland-Odesssa Sockers FC
Players from FC Denver and Midland-Odessa Sockers FC (blue) battle for the ball in their First Round match in the 2019 US Open Cup. Photo: Midland-Odesssa Sockers FC

The Sockers didn’t need Chattanooga FC to drop out of the tournament to jump in the rankings this year, as the Lone Star Conference regular season champions and playoff finalists have quite the resume heading into ranking time. The group is seeking its third straight US Open Cup berth after it’s most recent performance saw the team lose to local qualifier FC Denver in the First Round.

In the team’s 12 regular season games, it only allowed seven goals while scoring 27 and earning a 9-1-2 record. This included a home and away series against Dallas City FC which the club won by a combined score of 12-0. For their efforts, goalkeeper Lukas Betz, defender Andrew White, midfielder Erwin Regules, and forward Julio Vargas Luna were all awarded conference XI roles following the season.

The Sockers were not able to make much of a splash in the playoffs however, beating Dallas City once again, 9-1, in the semifinals before losing to Fort Worth Vaqueros FC in the final, 2-1.

#10 – FC Davis (West Region – Golden Gate Conference, 2.36 points per game)
Number of US Open Cup appearances: None
The second year FC Davis impressed in a stacked Golden Gate Conference by finishing on top with a 8-1-2 record for its first ever trophy.

Playing against well-knows such as Academica SC & El Farolito, the team needed to content with Open Cup caliber offenses on multiple occasions. Goalkeeper Jonathon Laughlin and defender Brian Ford both did their parts in helping to lock down the back-line and keep the team’s goals allowed to only 18, the least by any playoff team in the conference, and earned themselves conference XI honors.

Despite the team’s postseason only lasting one game thanks to a 3-1 loss at home to Academica, a high points per game average and playing in a conference with the second most tournament berths spells a decent shot for the team to make the US Open Cup.

#11 – Minneapolis City SC (Midwest Region – North Conference, 2.33 points per game)
Number of US Open Cup appearances: None

Whitney Browne of Minneapolis City celebrates one of his two goals against Oakland County FC in the second round of the 2017 US Open Cup qualifying tournament. Photo: Daniel Mick | http://www.danielmickcreative.com/USOC-Minneapolis-City-v/

Minneapolis City SC are well-known for their escapades with the US Open Cup. Not in the tournament, as they’ve yet to qualify for one, but surrounding it.

City are best known for being disqualified from the 2017 Open Division Local qualifying tournament when they violated tournament rules by switching leagues (from the Premier League of America to the NPSL) in the middle of the qualifying process. This was followed up last year when Minneapolis was ranked 16th in NPSL Open Cup rankings but the federation reduced the number of entries to 14, and they were left on the outside looking in.

This year, the Crows have put themselves in the best position to qualify yet. The team was able to win the Midwest Region’s North Conference by a single point over Med City FC thanks to leading scorers Will Kidd, Nick Hutton, and Justin Oliver who combined for 13 goals in the regular season. The team won four games with four or more goals scored, leading the group to a 9-2-1 record heading into the playoffs.

After falling to Med City in the final game of the regular season, Minneapolis defeated the team in the Midwest Region Quarterfinals, 2-1, before falling to Detroit City FC, 2-0, on the road in the semifinals.

#12 – Chattanooga FC (South Region – Southeast Conference, 2.2 points per game)
Number of US Open Cup appearances: 6 (2011, 2013-17)
Best Open Cup finish: 2015 Third Round (2-1 extra time loss vs Atlanta Silverbacks of NASL)

Chattanooga FC finished another outstanding year in the NPSL and once again finds itself in the 12th spot among ranked league teams. Despite qualifying last year, the team declined it’s invitation citing difficulties in balancing preparation with the then-upcoming Founders Cup tournament (now “Members Cup”), and what it called “ biggest schedule in our history.”

While it’s unknown how 2020 will play out, 2019 saw success on the field as CFC won the Southeast Conference for an eighth time. Behind a 7-2-1 record and a conference-best +18 goal differential, it was no surprise when they picked up a pair of Southeast playoff wins over Inter Nashville FC & Asheville City SC by a combined score of 7-1. For his part, midfielder Juan Hernandez earned conference, regional, and national XI honors from the league as voted on by fans, media, and the NPSL staff.

In a chippy, aggressive Regional Semifinal match, Miami FC overcame the Chattanooga back-line to advance, 2-0.

Rasmus Hansen of the Brooklyn Italians chases a loose ball against the New York Cosmos B in the 2018 US Open Cup. Photo: Bob Larson | TheCup.us
Rasmus Hansen of the Brooklyn Italians chases a loose ball against the New York Cosmos B in the 2018 US Open Cup. Photo: Bob Larson | TheCup.us

#13 – Brooklyn Italians (Northeast Region – North Atlantic Conference, 2.36 points per game)
Number of (Modern Era) US Open Cup appearances: 7 (2010-15, 2018)
Best Finish: 1979*, 1991 US Open Cup Champions
* Under the name Brooklyn Dodgers

After missing the tournament last year by three berth slots, the two-time tournament champion Brooklyn Italians have once again made it into the top 20 of NPSL teams while looking for an 8th Open Cup appearance in the Modern Era. A record of 10-1-3, including averaging just over two goals per game, helped the group reach the North Atlantic Conference Final and move up four spots in the rankings from last season.

The Italians’ biggest challenge this season came from the New York Cosmos B, who featured a roster full of pros. Brooklyn would lose 4-1 at home before playing to a scoreless draw in the penultimate game of the regular season. Still an offensive force, aided by North Atlantic Conference XI members Vitorio Argeri and Patrick Guier, the team scored 43 while only allowing 15 in 14 games. The season came to an end for the second straight year at the hands of Cosmos B, who defeated Brooklyn. 1-0. in the conference final.

#14 – Crossfire Redmond (West Region – Northwest Conference, 2.2 points per game)
Number of US Open Cup appearances: None

Crossfire Redmond ended its inaugural NPSL season with a Northwest Conference, a West Region semifinal appearance, and top half bid to gain entry into the 2020 US Open Cup.

The team, which is run under the Crossfire Premier organization which has an excellent track record in terms of youth development, played to a 7-2-1 record in conference play while totaling 30 goals in those 10 games (averaging three goals a game). Club director and former US international Bernie James led his squad into the playoffs where the team defeated conference foe OSA FC, 7-1, in their first game before falling to eventual region champions ASC San Diego.

#15 – Med City FC (Midwest Region – North Conference, 2.25 points per game)
Number of US Open Cup appearances: None

After back-to-back fourth place finishes in the NPSL’s North Conference, Med City FC finds itself after it’s first-ever postseason at what was the cutoff point for teams last year hoping to make the US Open Cup from the league. The team based out of Rochester, Minn. reached the Midwest Region quarterfinals but fell to their fellow statesmen Minneapolis City SC, 2-1, after all three goals came within a span of 10 minutes.

City’s season ended in the North with a 8-1-3 record, only one point behind Minneapolis for the conference’s top spot. The two teams clashed during the regular season with a draw, followed by a win by Med in the regular season finale, 1-0. However, the Crows were able to beat Neil Cassidy and his team by getting around the well-oiled back-line led by defender Nicholas Itopoulos that had only allowed eleven goals up until the playoffs.

#16 – Naples United FC (South Region – Sunshine Conference, 2.4 points per game)
Number of US Open Cup appearances: None

Playing in the same conference as the defending league champions (Miami FC), Naples United FC finished its respectable season with an appearance in the Sunshine Conference Playoffs and a handful of team honors.

The group finished second overall in the conference with a record of 8-2-0, with their only losses coming against Miami FC in meetings that came on just as many weeks in the home and away series. Looking past this, the team from Naples, Fla. pushed hard in the top heavy conference, where the best teams would obviously make one of the four playoff spots. Starting the year off with a three-game winning streak that saw the team outscored opponents 9-2, this year’s Sunshine Conference XI head coach Carlos Adducci used the depth of his roster to remain perfect against all other Sunshine foes.

The result after the regular season was quick though after a 2-1 loss in the conference playoffs to Miami United FC sent the team home early. However, on points per game, Naples is still ahead of United which means it holds the better chance for a US Open Cup spot.

#17 – FC Golden State (West Region – Southwest Conference, 2.56 points per game)
Number of US Open Cup appearances: None

Unlike the similarly named sister club FC Golden State Force in USL League Two, FC Golden State was not able to go far in its league playoffs as the Western favorites were one-and-done.

The team, which led the Southwest Conference and the entire NPSL in goals scored with 67 (through 18 games), put up a record of 15-2-1. When the playoff positioning put the squad against ASC San Diego, an in-conference opponent that had split the season series, the two sides knew it would be a challenge. Both scored twice forcing the game into extra time and eventually penalty kicks where ASC advanced.

#18 – Atlantic City FC/West Chester United SC (Northeast Region – Keystone Conference, 2.2 points per game each)

Atlantic City FC:
Number of US Open Cup appearances: None

West Chester United SC:
Number of US Open Cup appearances: 1 (2016*, 2019*)
*As an Open Division Local qualifier
Best Open Cup Finish: 2016 Round 2 (2-0 loss vs City Islanders FC of the United Soccer League)

The second Keystone Conference spot is contested between Atlantic City FC, should the league rank based on overall league finishes including playoffs, and West Chester United SC, should it be ranked based on regular season performance and points per game. ACFC has already been discussed previously at the 8th spot.

West Chester United finished the 2019 NPSL regular season by just missing the first overall playoff seed in the conference due to the season opening loss to Atlantic City. Despite this, the 7-2-1 record Conference XI coach Blaise Santangelo’s group had put together was a solid enough resume to inspire confidence. Forward Troy Amspacher had been a threat all season long in conference and the team let up the least amount of goals of any of its’ conference playoff competition (12). Despite this, the 2018 NPSL National Finalist FC Motown overtook the team at home with three goals heading into the second half. Two goals from Christopher Donovan and Evan Vare gave the team the chance to tie but to no avail.

WCU will be looking to make the cup for a second straight year after it’s fully amateur, local league side reached the final tournament last season and defeated FC Baltimore Christos in the First Round.

#19 – Duluth FC (Midwest Region – North Conference, 2.17 points per game)
Number of US Open Cup appearances: 2 (2018, 2019)
Best Open Cup Finish: 2018 Round 2 (2-0 loss vs Saint Louis FC of USL)

Duluth FC celebrates their PK victory over Dakota Fusion FC in the 2018 US Open Cup. Photo: Seth Steffenhagen | Steffenhagen Photography
Duluth FC celebrates their PK victory over Dakota Fusion FC in the 2018 US Open Cup. Photo: Seth Steffenhagen | Steffenhagen Photography

Duluth FC’s best NPSL season to date was followed up with its best Open Cup performance. However, they had a lackluster finish to the league season.

After reaching the national semifinals in 2018, the team missed the Midwest Region Playoffs by finishing third in the North Conference by one point. Med City FC’s 3-1 win over the team on June 22 was one of the key reasons how the two-time Open Cup participants failed to make the playoffs.

Despite this, The BlueGreens high scoring offense, which included a 11-0 win over LC Aris FC in the final regular season game, has put the team in the top 20 of NPSL berths.

20th Denton Diablos FC (South Region – Lone Star Conference, 2.25 points per game)

21st Orange County FC (West Region – Southwest Conference, 2 points per game)

22nd Miami United FC (South Region – Sunshine Conference, 2.1 points per game)

23rd AFC Ann Arbor (Midwest Region – Great Lakes Conference, 2.14 points per game)

24th West Chester United SC/FC Motown (Northeast Region – Keystone Conference, 2.2/1.9 points per game)

25th OSA Seattle FC (West Region – Northwest Conference, 1.8 points per game)

26th Fort Worth Vaqueros (South Region – Lone Star Conference, 2 points per game)

27th Grand Rapids FC (Midwest Region – Great Lakes Conference, 2.07 points per game)

28th Kingston Stockade FC (Northeast Region – North Atlantic Conference, 1.79 points per game)

29th San Ramon FC (West Region – Golden Gates Conference, 1.73 points per game)

30th Greenville FC (South Region – Southeast Conference, 1.9 points per game)

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