2022 US Open Cup

2022 Meet the Underdogs: Orlando FC Wolves bring strong resume to first Open Cup run

March 22, 2022 by Jeff Livezey

Orlando FC Wolves 2022 US Open Cup Qualifying Meet the Underdogs — Orlando FC Wolves pose for a team photo after the club’s 3-1 win over Miami Soccer Academy in the third round of the 2022 US Open Cup qualifying tournament. Photo: Orlando FC Wolves

One of the dark ~~horses~~ wolves of the Open Division Local entries for the 2022 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup are the Orlando FC Wolves.

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Orlando are very much like a wolfpack. A tight-knit team founded by Bradley Welch in 2018 after he returned stateside in 2017 after playing overseas. The team is made up of ex-collegiate and pro players that like to play at a highly competitive level. For a team that has only been together for five years, they have put together an impressive list of titles and accolades, including the 2021 Florida State Cup championship, four Central Florida Soccer League Elite Division titles, a National Soccer League Central Florida League championship and they also reached the USASA Region III Final off the 2021 National Amateur Cup.

The Wolves are quickly becoming a force to be reckoned with in Central Florida. Head coach Kent Welch and assistant coach Terry Horton have been responsible for shaping and molding Orlando into what they are today. With the players they have, most of which have been with the club since it was founded, they all hope for continued success in this year’s US Open Cup.

The Wolves were the only team that qualified for the 107th edition of the US Open Cup out of the Open Division Local qualifying tournament that began that competition in the abbreviated opening round. As one of six teams to start in the first qualifying round, while everyone else began in the second round. The Wolves started with a pair of 4-0 wins over UPSL clubs Deportivo Lake Mary FC & Oceanway FC.

The original match against Deportivo Lake Mary FC was postponed due to heavy rain and lightning, but when the game was finally played the Wolves took control early. Cristian Serrano buried a goal from just outside the box, assisted by Joe O’Sullivan, the Wolves all-time leading scorer, in the 23rd minute.

Then Orlando scored two second half goals off corner kicks, one of them off a Lake Mary defender’s head in the 62nd minute and the other was a header from JP Lopez in the 77th minute. O’Sullivan closed out the scoring with a tap in from a Hank Morton cross in the 84th minute. It was the second year in a row that the Wolves had eliminated Deportivo in the qualifying tournament.

JP Lopez added another goal in the Wolves’ 4-0 win over Oceanway FC in the next round, but it was O’Sullivan that stole the show with a hat trick (29′, 67′, 81′). Goalkeeper Zach King got the start and earned the clean sheet for Orlando.

HIGHLIGHTS: Orlando FC Wolves vs. Oceanway FC

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The Wolves earned a 3-1 win over fellow National Soccer League club Miami Sports Academy. O’Sullivan kept up his scoring streak, tapping in a pass from Tristan Rehrig in the 16th minute. Welch doubled the lead by pouncing on a rebound 56th minute. James Winchester curled a ball in from the right wing seven minutes later to give Orlando a three-goal lead. The Wolves’ 248-minute shutout streak would come to an end later in the game but they held on to advance to the final round of qualifying.

They would punch their ticket without having to take the field as they received a “Win and You’re In” forfeit victory when South Carolina United Heat was forced to withdraw due to a COVID outbreak among their players.

Orlando FC Wolves Resume

4x Central Florida Soccer League Elite Division Champions
3x Central Florida Soccer League Elite Division Cup Champions
2020 Florida Classic Tournament Champions
2021 Florida State Cup Champions
2021 USASA Regional Finalist
2021 National Soccer League Central Florida League Champions
2021 National Soccer League Central Florida Conference Champions
2021 USASA Region III Amateur Cup Finalist

Founder and team captain Bradley Welch is no stranger to the US Open Cup. In 2011, as a member of FC New York (USL Pro, Div. 3 pro), he played against the New York Red Bulls of MLS in what was a close game at Red Bull Arena. Even though the legendary Thierry Henry did not suit up that day for the Red Bulls, they still rolled out a very good reserve line up with some starters like Tim Ream, John Rooney, and Juan Agudelo. They fought the entire match and kept the game to a 1-1 draw, until a late strike by John Rooney gave the Red Bulls the 2-1 win. It was a bittersweet game for Bradley considering he supported the Red Bulls since the team’s Metrostars days.

Bradley Welch FC New York Red Bull Arena — Bradley Welch poses for a photo at Red Bull Arena before his FC New York team took on the Red Bulls in the 2011 US Open Cup. Photo: Bradley Welch

“It was truly awe-inspiring to even be in his presence as a lifelong football fan,” Welch said about playing a team with players like Henry. “At the time, it was the largest set of fans I had played in front of and the atmosphere as a new professional made the moment more memorable”.

Orlando Wolves FC enter the US Open Cup for the first time after falling short in 2018 and 2019. It’s a dream come true not just for the players, but for everyone associated with the club that they get to participate in this storied tournament.

Orlando will take on The Villages SC, a USL League Two team that has been a model of consistency. They have qualified for the last eight US Open Cup tournaments, which is the longest active streak of any amateur team. The game will be played at The Villages SC Complex in Summerfield, Fla. on Tuesday, March 22. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

“Our match versus The Villages will definitely be an uphill battle,” said Welch, who represented Trinidad & Tobago at the Under-23 level. “From what we know, they’ve been quite the successful outfit in USL-2 over the years. They have the resources to prepare as any professional team does in this competition so it will take a mix of grit, determination and a little bit of luck to keep our run going. We have a great combination of young and experienced players that I think will bode well for us. We have no intentions of shying away from the magnitude of the match and are going in with the mindset that only a victory will do.”

Spoken like a true captain.

2022 Meet the Underdogs: City Soccer FC evolves from indoor facility, finds success outdoors

March 22, 2022 by Austin David

City Soccer 2022 US Open Cup Qualifying Meet the Underdogs — City Soccer FC players celebrate during the club’s 2022 US Open Cup qualifier vs. Florida Soccer Soldiers. Photo: Alex Venegas | IG: @real.wpb

Wednesday will mark a big day in the 12-year history of City Soccer FC. What started as an indoor facility in West Palm Beach, Fla. has evolved into an outdoor team that has cultivated a soccer community for local players to showcase their talents. Now, those talents will be on the national stage as CSFC prepare to face Miami United in the 2022 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.

For founder and owner Boris Jofre, this has been a long time in the making. In 2010, the Chilean native felt a soccer void in South Florida that needed to be filled, so he invested in an indoor facility.

“The community needed something different with indoor fields,” said Jofre. “For 20 years or more since I got to this country I played indoor, I played friends and we’d get kicked out of parks and indoor places, so I said to myself ‘I got to put the funds together’, and I ended up opening this facility.”

The 75,000 square foot facility has a restaurant, full-service bar and hosts a variety of parties and events throughout the year. That was just the beginning for Jofre and City Soccer.

With the indoor program booming, the community started to take notice. Players from the local area and nearby Division II school Palm Beach Atlantic University started to join leagues and play their offseason indoors. In 2013, Andres Colman was added to the City Soccer marketing team, which led to the creation of a City Soccer Select team. Those local players became staples for the early days of competitions in the South Florida area.

In 2016, the team was entered into a competition called the Football Five World Cup, a five-a-side indoor tournament played across the world, with teams going through qualifying to represent their nations on world’s stage. Though they were eliminated their first year, 2017 saw the side beat all their national competition to win the right to represent the US in Beijing, China.

Not only did City Soccer play up to the competition, but they won the whole thing, becoming the five-a-side champions of the world.

The goalkeeper of that 2017 City Soccer team, Fernando Cortes, now plays for the outdoor team that will take the field on Wednesday night in the Open Cup. Having started with the Sailfish of Palm Beach Atlantic, the 5’8” goalkeeper has stayed with City Soccer through it all.

“The staff, the organization, the one thing that they let us know is we’re just not a team, we’re a family,” Cortes said, “With City Soccer FC, no matter who’s been through, who’s coming, who’s going, City soccer is always gonna be remembered as a family group.”

That core mentality has kept players coming back, even after turning pro or playing elsewhere. The camaraderie and togetherness that exudes from the top-down has led to success both on and off the pitch.

City Soccer FC defender Christopher Llorente celebrates after scoring a goal during the club’s 2022 US Open Cup qualifier vs. Florida Soccer Soldiers. Photo: Alex Venegas | IG: @real.wpb

While the indoor team continued to find success in international tournaments, the outdoor team started to be born. In 2016, the 11v11 team was founded, playing in local leagues around the Palm Beach area. Up until 2019, they dominated those local leagues, but there were still bigger aspirations. So, in January of 2020, City Soccer FC joined the UPSL, the step forward to their goals.

Over the next year and a half, the City Soccer FC team dominated both UPSL and the NSL’s Florida divisions, leading them to where they are now, starting their journey as an amateur team in the US Open Cup.

With this current iteration of the team, there are three players to watch out for this Wednesday: Auner Escobar, who plays on the right wing, is a technical player that loves going 1-v-1 against defenders, while the team’s striker Ricardo Tapia is a big, strong player up top that gets in good positions. The captain, Juan Vasco, is the team’s general in the midfield, winning the ball, playing quickly, and has a presence in the midfield that helps the team overall.

“We’re at this level now and it’s a huge stage for us,” Jofre said, “We’re really excited about it. And now, I hope we have a good result after Wednesday. I think it’s it’s a very important game and anything could happen, but we’re definitely prepared for it.”

City Soccer FC will travel just an hour south to Ted Hendricks Park in Hialeah, this Wednesday for their match against the NPSL’s Miami United FC. The winner will play on the road against Miami FC (USL Championship) in Round 2. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ at 7:30 p.m.

2022 Meet the Underdogs: Azteca FC faces longest road trip in US Open Cup return

March 20, 2022 by Jim Coppock

Denver-based Azteca FC practice Meet the Underdogs 2022 US Open Cup — Denver-based Azteca FC practices with the Rocky Mountains as a backdrop. Photo: Azteca FC

Denver-based Azteca FC are set to make their third Lamar Hunt US Open Cup appearance in a Wednesday evening visit to Tulsa, Oklahoma to face the NPSL’s Tulsa Athletic. This is the club’s first appearance since 2018.

Azteca FC are owned and managed by Andy de la Rosa, who also owns a local construction company. In recent years, the team has become one of the annual contenders in the Colorado Adult soccer scene. Andy attributes this to three things: the ability to recruit top players from the Denver area, the commitment of his players to succeed, and participating in the toughest leagues and tournaments available in Colorado.

Andy also adds, “A combination of coaching, planning and managing the team to put it in the best position to win and that doesn’t mean entering the weakest leagues in Colorado.”

Last fall’s Colorado Super League season saw Azteca finish third, eliminating Gam United 5-2 in the semifinal before falling in the final 5-3 to FC Denver, after extra time. Shortly after that, Azteca qualified for the US Open Cup with a dramatic Denver Superclasico win against league rival Harpos FC, winning 4-3 after extra time. Prior to that “Win & You’re In” match, they beat fellow Colorado Super League side Colorado Rush, 4-1, followed by a 5-2 home win over the Colorado Rovers (Colorado Premier League).

While Azteca currently has no former MLS or Liga MX players, they do have ex-pros from division two and three leagues in Mexico, Honduras and Chile, as well as former Division 1 and Division 2 college players and a roster of top-notch amateurs. Andy says none of the ex-pros are likely known outside of the local scene, but all the players are crucial to the team’s success. Specifically, Azteca’s three co-captains, Marcos Madera, Eduardo Reza and Jovany Herrera.

First choice goalkeeper Marcos Madera is the team’s most veteran player, bringing years of skill and experience to anchor the defense. Eduardo Reza is a leader in the midfield bringing his excellent technical skills to help build and drive the attack. Finally, forward Jovany Herrera, whose play makes him the attacking leader of the team.

“I’m not sure why,” said De La Rosa, “but for one reason or another he never made it pro but should have.”

The winner of Wednesday’s game against Tulsa Athletic will play on the road against FC Tulsa of the USL Championship in the Second Round on April 5.

The trip to Tulsa is about a 9.5 hour drive, the longest road trip of any First Round game.

Andy says his team is ready for the challenge against a tough Tulsa Athletic side and are focused on the task at hand.

“We would have preferred to draw Hailstorm or Switchbacks in the Second Round to avoid travelling, but it is what it is.” said De La Rosa. “We’ll worry about the next match after we win our first.”

In Azteca’s first two trips to the Open Cup, they played road games against amateur teams. In 2017, they lost a narrow 1-0 extra time game to FC Wichita (NPSL), and in 2018, they lost to rival FC Denver, 4-2.

Tulsa Athletic hosts Azteca FC on Wednesday, March 23 at 8 p.m. (ET) at Oral Roberts University’s Case Soccer Complex in Tulsa.

MORE: Azteca FC’s Meet the Underdogs stories from 2017

2022 Meet the Underdogs: Escondido FC removing barriers leads to US Open Cup debut

March 20, 2022 by Jim Coppock

Escondido FC Meet the Underdogs 2022 US Open Cup — Angel DeLeon (No. 14) walks out for pre-game introductions with his Escondido FC teammates before the club’s 2022 US Open Cup qualifying match against Sporting ID11. Photo: Luzrayito Balderas | IG: Rayoreynoso

For Escondido FC, the biggest match in team history couldn’t start in a more familiar setting. The first-time US Open Cup entrant will host another United Premier Soccer League (UPSL) side, San Fernando Valley FC, on Wednesday night in Encino, Calif. Just to get to this point, the team had to knock off two other UPSL sides in qualifying.

The team, based out of Escondido, Calif., was founded in 2020 by Alejandro (Alex) Garcia, a small business owner in the northern San Diego County city. Garcia founded the team with the goal of greater access in the community, with players able to play at little or no cost.

“A lot of talented players get stuck in Sunday leagues without developing their full potential,” said Garcia. “We created an environment where young players can develop their skills and possibly take the next step into a pro career.”

Garcia says this is his motivation to continue doing what he has been doing since 2020.

Since the club’s founding two years ago, Escondido have continued establishing themselves as a perennial force to be reckoned with.

The Fall 2021 UPSL season saw them finish on top of the SoCal South-Premier Division for the second year in a row; dropping only five points during the campaign. The team’s playoff run only came to an end in the SoCal Division Championship against second place Rebels SC, 2-1.

Escondido had previously beaten Rebels 3-2 in the Second Round of the Open Division Local Qualifying tournament for the 2022 US Open Cup. In November, they edged Chula Vista FC 3-2 in extra time to reach a “Win & You’re In” round of the qualifying tourney. Then, two days after falling in the UPSL conference final, with a roster of only 13 players, the team punched it’s ticket to the tournament proper with a 3-1 win over Sporting ID11 (UPSL).

Garcia says the team’s goal for the Spring 2022 season is to finish top of the division again and return to the national playoff stage. That includes a strong performance in the Open Cup to start the year, with a regrouped roster and new players.

“We hope to keep the momentum we had through the qualifying rounds and do the best we can.”

Escondido FC celebrates a goal against Chula Vista FC in the Third Round of the 2022 US Open Cup qualifying tournament. Photo: Luzrayito Balderas

Unlike other open division outfits, there are currently no ex-pro players on the Escondido roster. In fact, while many amateur teams worried about missing players due to the tournament’s March start, that is something Escondido does not need to worry about.

“We do have some ex-college players that have played in community college in the past. But for the most part our team does not rely on college players”, Garcia explained.

That doesn’t mean there aren’t absences.

Escondido FC poses for a team photo after the club’s 3-1 win over Sporting ID11 in the 2022 US Open Cup qualifying tournament. Photo: Luzrayito Balderas | IG: Rayoreynoso

The team will be without two key players due to injury; forward Arturo Soltero and winger Angel De León. Soltero tore his ACL and MCL in week 3 of the fall season. He was the team’s top goalscorer in the spring campaign and there is currently no time table for his return. De León played at Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo for four seasons before joining the side, one of the few ex-collegiate player. He unfortunately picked up a hairline fracture on his right knee and a sprained ACL in Escondido’s final fall regular season game. He is expected to be out through at least the First Round of the Open Cup.

Team captain Gerardo Medina (“Gera”) and Omar Rodriguez are, however, ready to lead on the pitch.

“Gera is one of the veteran players, along with Juan Velazquez and Armando Morales. They all show great leadership and push the younger players to their limits,” adds Garcia.

While the UPSL does run a long schedule, Garcia is confident in the team’s readiness

“We manage to keep everyone healthy for the most part in the qualifying rounds. Fortunately for us our season starts after the first round of the Cup.”

Escondido FC hosts San Fernando Valley FC on Wednesday, March 23 at 5:45 p.m. (PT) at Sepulveda Basin Sports Complex in Encino, CA. The winner will play on the road in the Second Round against the California United Strikers FC (NISA) on April 7.

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

March 20, 2022 by Joshua Taylor

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.

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.

2022 Meet the Underdogs: Brockton FC United, like Rocky Marciano, representing “City of Champions”

March 20, 2022 by Eric Casey

Brockton FC celebrates vs Philadelphia Lone Star 2022 US Open Cup Qualifying — Brockton FC players celebrate after defeating the Philadelphia Lone Star FC in the 2022 US Open Cup qualifyfing tournament. Photo: Matt Ralph | BrotherlyGame.com

When Brockton FC United takes the pitch in the First Round of the 2022 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, they’ll be playing for more than just their club: The city and immigrant community they represent will also have their pride on the line.

Located about 25 miles south of Boston, Brockton — known as the “City of Champions” — is a tough, working class city perhaps most famous for being the birthplace of Rocky “The Brockton Blockbuster” Marciano. The only heavyweight champion boxer to finish his career undefeated, Marciano’s presence quite literally looms large at Brockton FC United home games; a massive 22 foot tall statue bearing his likeness casts a giant shadow, just outside the gates of a stadium that also bears the champion’s name. Known for his durable chin, forbidding attack and the relentless pressure he put on opponents, United will attempt to channel Rocky’s energy as they try to go as many rounds as possible in American soccer’s oldest knockout competition.

Beyond boxing, Brockton is also known for being a city of immigrants. This fact is well-represented by Brockton FC United, whose ranks are almost entirely pulled from the local Cape Verdean immigrant population. Cape Verde (also known as Cabo Verde) is a nation comprising a chain of islands approximately 400 miles off the western coast of Africa. Originally finding work in the region’s whaling industry and cranberry bogs in the 1800’s, over 75,000 people of Cape Verdean descent live in Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts today.

As much of the squad were born in Cape Verde and came to the United States at a young age, Brockton FC United is, in certain ways, a throwback to US Open Cups of yesteryear, which frequently saw teams representing various immigrant communities.

Founded in 2006 under the name Tarrafal FC, Brockton FC United currently competes in the New England region of the United Premier Soccer League’s (UPSL) Premier Division, while also fielding teams in the Bay State Soccer League and local cup competitions. Fueled by strong team chemistry and furious attacking play, the club has seen much success at the local level in the past few years. Recent local cup titles include the Mass Champions’ Cup and Mass State Amateur Cup in 2020, and they also grabbed a third place finish at the UPSL national tournament in 2021.

“I think we have good chemistry between us,” said Manny Andrade, a central defensive midfielder who played for the Providence College Friars from 2012-15. “I’ve been playing with these guys for six years, some of them have been playing with each other for ten years. I feel the team bonding is there, the commitment is there. The chemistry is top notch right now.”

That chemistry was certainly shown last fall in a qualifying campaign that saw Brockton outscore its three opponents by a total of 17-3, earning the squad their first-ever appearance in the US Open Cup Open Division Local qualifying tournament. (Another squad from Brockton with similar Cape Verdean roots — Emigrantes das Ilhas — qualified for the 2009 US Open Cup, but lost in extra time to the Western Mass Pioneers in the First Round)

The first game of their qualifying journey saw them handle fellow local UPSL team Unations FC by a score of 5-3, thanks to two goals apiece from Geo Alves and Rilton Carvalho. The following game saw them roll to an easy 7-0 victory over Kendall Wanderers, a Bay State Soccer League squad that was down a man and forced to start an outfield player in goal. The Wanderers previously qualified for the Open Cup in 2018, but were eliminated in an opening round match to Seacoast United Phantoms (USL League Two) in a penalty kick shootout where they also finished with 10 men.

The toughest test of the qualifying campaign came in the final game for United, which saw them traveling over six hours by bus to face off against Philadelphia Lone Star FC of the UPSL (Note: Lone Star FC also fields a team in USL League Two). Despite the long journey and high quality of their opponent, the Cape Verdean boys strolled to an easy 5-0 victory in a physical game that saw Lone Star rack up five yellow cards and one red. Brockton goalkeeper Benvido Barros picked up the shutout in impressive style with a late double save, and forward Geo Alves contributed with an assist and yet another goal, his seventh of the qualifying campaign.

Fresh off a game in the state qualifying tournament for the Werner Fricker Open Cup that saw United dismantle their opponent 12-0 — in the middle of an intense snow squall no less — Alves explained the typical March weather in New England was not putting a hamper on their preparation.

“The weather is not with us,” Alves said, gesturing towards a snow-covered pitch, “but we do not give up. Our team chemistry is more important to us. Every player is highly motivated. The kids that play college want to make a statement.”

Brockton FC United team photo vs Philadelphia Lone Star 2022 US Open Cup Qualifying — Brockton FC United celebrates after qualifying for the 2022 US Open Cup with a 5-0 win vs. Philadelphia Lone Star FC. Photo: Matt Ralph | BrotherlyGame.com

Alves is perhaps the most experienced player on the squad. Born on the island of Fogo in Cape Verde, he earned a Rhode Island Gatorade Player of the Year nod while playing for Shea High School in Providence, R.I. After a successful collegiate career at Vermont that saw him named the America East Striker of the Year in 2018, Alves was drafted in the third round by D.C. United in the 2019 MLS SuperDraft. He most recently played professionally with the New York Cosmos, until financial complications from the COVID-19 pandemic saw the club suspend operations.

When asked what it meant for him to have the opportunity to play in the US Open Cup, Alves said “That’s a huge goal. Last year, I was with the Cosmos and was expecting to play in the tournament but couldn’t because of COVID. This year, I’m highly motivated and I can’t wait.”

He was not the only player who was eagerly anticipating their first round matchup.

“This is very big for us,” said team captain and midfielder Ruddy Delgado, who has been a member of the squad for over eight years. “It’s something we’ve been trying to do for the past few years, and we haven’t been able to pass that hump. Finally we did it. We don’t want to waste this opportunity.”

Players from Kendall Wanderers FC (left) and Brockton FC United go up for a header in their 2022 US Open Cup qualifier. Photo: Burt Granofsky

Both Alves and Delgago are expecting a good game out of the Western Mass Pioneers, who are traditionally a strong club out of USL League Two.

That being said, Alves has had plenty of success against this fellow Bay State based squad during past meetings at Lusitano Stadium.

“Personally I have a good record against ,” he said. “I’ve scored six goals against them in three games. They have a very good environment and a very professional coach. They’re really competitive and I know it’s going to be a really good game.”

One sentiment was unanimous amongst the team: A deep cup run would be incredibly meaningful for the city of Brockton and the Cape Verdean community.

This team reflects our community, and everyone in this community is behind us,” said Alves. “They know the kind of talent we have. They know our success can translate into something good for the kids growing up. That’s what motivates us. It’s a huge honor what the community has done for us, it’s the first time the local community has been behind us like this.”

Manny Andrade, who was also born on the island of Fogo, agreed that a deep run would be incredibly meaningful for the next generation of Cape Verdean players.

“It will be a huge accomplishment for us. Just to put the Cape Verdean community on the map,” Andrade said. “It would let professional teams know that there’s Cape Verdean players out here that have the quality and potential to play at the highest level. This US Open Cup gives us the opportunity to be seen by good teams, and hopefully make it someday.”

2022 Meet the Underdogs: D’Feeters Kicks ready for new era in Dallas

March 17, 2022 by Adam Uthe

D’Feeters Kicks SC pose for a team photo before the club’s 2022 US Open Cup qualifying match against Southwest FC. Photo: D’Feeters Kicks SC

For the first time in 10 years, an amateur club not named NTX Rayados will represent the city of Dallas in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. After a two year hiatus during the COVID-19 global pandemic, the Open Cup is back and there’s a new squad out of Dallas that’s ready to take up the mantle. D’Feeters Kicks Soccer Club (DKSC), in their first ever Open Cup qualification, will represent the DFW metroplex.

The D’Feeters Kicks Soccer Club (DKSC) was formed in 2018 when two youth clubs, one for girls (D’Feeters) and one for boys (Dallas Kicks), merged together. That was also the year program director Edgar Hernandez organized FC Harrington, an adult men’s team initially made up of players who regularly played pickup games at Harrington Park in Duncanville, a south Dallas suburb. Duncanville isn’t exactly “run down” but the southern portion of the Dallas metroplex tends to get overshadowed by many far more affluent neighborhoods and suburbs to the north. Hernandez saw an opportunity to shine some light on an underappreciated community.

“I began this program because I felt there was a lot of talent in the South Dallas area that was being overlooked and that never was given the opportunity to play at a higher level,” said Hernandez who handles administrative duties and also assists his father, Edgar, with coaching as well. “Why go play for other programs when you can play at home in front of your family and friends and still compete and train at a high level? Our community is so passionate for the game and I felt like our program brings everyone together to celebrate our community’s talent.”

In the summer of 2020, the United Premier Soccer League (UPSL) imposed strict travel restrictions on it’s members during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hernandez’s side was pulled into a southern division and traveled to Houston, Texas where it managed to win the Central Conference Championship. This was all while missing several key players from Southern Methodist University (SMU), who had to quarantine and could not travel to Houston in order to prepare for their fall season.

It should be noted that despite technically being a “national” league, the UPSL is actually made up of multiple regional conferences/divisions. The league is currently in the process of gaining official “National League” status from U.S. Soccer and recently acquired associate member status at the recent AGM session. It should gain full status, and therefor automatic US Open Cup berths, at the end of 2023.

It wasn’t until 2021 that FC Harrington came under the D’Feeters Kicks banner. Prior to that, the team had started out in the 3rd division of the UPSL (as FC Harrington) and has since worked its way up to the Premier Division, the highest level of the league. Their new UPSL campaign will begin in April after the Open Cup gets underway.

DKSC has also expanded to other local leagues. The Roja League, which competes under US Club Soccer, started in 2020 as a local outfit for teams in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. Kicks joined for the summer, also known as Verano, season and have enjoyed success in the competition. The team finished the 2021 Invierno season (winter) season in first place and reached the championship final. D’Feeters also entered US Open Cup qualifying as a member of the Roja League.

In terms of support, the team has plenty of experienced talent.

Miles Byass, who joins DKSC from another UPSL Premier Division side, Foro SC, is expected to lead the line. Byass was named an honorable mention all-Pac-10 selection at San Diego State and also featured for the Seattle Sounders Under-23 team in 2013. Byass isn’t the only newcomer either. Former FC Dallas and North Texas SC (the USL affiliate of FC Dallas) player Oscar Romero hopes to join D’Feeters but there are questions around his fitness that may limit his availability.

If all else fails, the club still has its all-time leading scorer Sebastian Mendez available to support Byass in attack. Mendez’s 85th minute converted penalty turned out to be the winner in their 2-1 Third Round qualifying win over Southwest FC. Prior to that, D’Feeters Kicks SC took down Houston Hotshots – Greenspoint FC in the Second Round of qualifying via an extra time penalty converted by captain Miguel Ojeda. This is the first year DKSC has attempted to qualify for the Open Cup and Hernandez is trying to maintain perspective going into their first match.

“We are 100 percent focused and locked in on our first round match up with Denton. We aren’t even thinking about the second round at the moment,” said Hernandez. “Of course, we would love to make a deep run but you can’t get lost in the bigger picture and that is why we are taking the Open Cup game by game.”

D’Feeters Kicks SC will travel north to UNT Soccer and Track & Field Stadium in Denton on Tuesday, March 22 where they will face the National Premier Soccer League’s (NPSL) Denton Diablos in Round 1.

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

February 25, 2022 by Thomas Viola

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: Round 2 pairings and hosting scenarios announced

February 11, 2022 by Michael Battista

Players from the Tampa Bay Rowdies (right) and The Villages SC battle for the ball in their Second Round match in the 2019 US Open Cup. Photo: Tampa Bay Rowdies

The professional teams in Division II and Division III leagues (USL Championship, USL League One, National Independent Soccer Association, and MLS Next Pro) now know who they will or could face in the Second Round. The United States Soccer Federation announced the pairings for the Second Round of the 107th edition of the tournament. The 31 games between April 5-7 will feature the 16 Open Division winners from the First Round along with 46 professional teams. This is the largest round in terms of number of matches in the Modern Era.

#USOC2022 ESSENTIALS

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Lansdowne Yonkers wins second Amateur Cup, qualifies for 2022 USOC
2022 US Open Cup Qualifying Schedule / Results
2022 US Open Cup Qualifying Opening Round Game-By-Game Review
2022 US Open Cup Qualifying October Game-By-Game Review
2022 US Open Cup Qualifying November Game-By-Game Review
You can read the December Game Recaps by scrolling down on the Schedule / Results page
2022 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Schedule, Results

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The hosts for the Second Round, and all future rounds and the previous one, are determined by random selection. If both teams apply to host and both teams meet the federation’s minimum venue standards, then the home team is decided by random draw.

The winners from the opening round will advance to the Second Round which is scheduled to be played April 5-7. This round will introduce professional teams into the competition as all Division II (USL Championship) and Division III (MLS Next Pro, National Independent Soccer Association, and USL League One) teams will enter.

The process for determining Second Round matchups first involved pairing a First Round matchup with a nearby Division II or Division III team. After that process is done, the remaining Division II and Division III teams were paired up against each other, with teams from the same division prevented from playing each other. This was also done as travel friendly as possible with matchups that don’t fit geographically being determined by random selection.

The Oakland Roots will have the longest travel for this round. It is 2,212 miles between their respective home stadiums. Other long road trips for this round include Rio Grande Valley FC (Edinburg, TX) to North Carolina FC (Raleigh, NC) at 1,320 miles, and Central Valley Fuego FC (Fresno, CA) to El Paso Locomotive FC at 834 miles. All three are longer than the longest First Round match (Azteca FC/Denver, CO to Tulsa Athletic) at about 700 miles. These are longest road trips since the 2015 Second Round which had Portland Timbers 2 (USL) traveling to Michigan Bucks (PDL), Real Monarchs (USL) traveling to Long Island Rough Riders (PDL), and Seacoast United Phantoms (PDL) traveling Tulsa Roughnecks (USL).

Dates and times are TBD so that US Soccer can try and schedule these matches to fit within their broadcast capacity on ESPN+. There is a limited amount of matches they can broadcast at once with their broadcast partner VISTA Worldlink.

The winners from Round 2 will advance to the Third Round which is scheduled to be played April 19-21. The 17 lowest ranked Division I (Major League Soccer) teams will enter in that round.

Second Round

Division II vs. Division III (15 games)

Date	Game (home team listed first)	Time	Venue
TBD	ALBION San Diego (NISA) vs. San Diego Loyal SC (USLC)	TBD	Canyon Crest Academy; San Diego, Calif.
TBD	Bay Cities FC (NISA) vs. Monterey Bay F.C. (USLC)	TBD	Cañada College; Redwood, Calif.
TBD	Charleston Battery (USLC) vs. South Georgia Tormenta FC (USLL1)	TBD	Patriot’s Point Soccer Stadium; Mt. Pleasant, S.C.
TBD	Chattanooga FC (NISA) vs. Memphis 901 FC (USLC)	TBD	Finley Stadium; Chattanooga, Tenn.
TBD	Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC (USLC) vs. Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC (USLL1)	TBD	Weidner Field; Colorado Springs, Colo.
TBD	Detroit City FC (USLC) vs. Michigan Stars FC (NISA)	TBD	Keyworth Stadium; Hamtramck, Mich.
TBD	El Paso Locomotive FC (USLC) vs. Central Valley Fuego FC (USLL1)	TBD	Southwest University Park; El Paso, Texas
TBD	FC Tucson (USLL1) vs. Las Vegas Lights FC (USLC)	TBD	Kino North Stadium; Tucson, Ariz.
TBD	Greenville Triumph SC (USLL1) vs. Oakland Roots (USLC)	TBD	Triumph Stadium at Legacy Early College; Greenville, S.C.
TBD	Louisville City FC (USLC) vs. Chattanooga Red Wolves SC (USLL1)	TBD	Lynn Family Stadium; Louisville, Ky.
TBD	North Carolina FC (USLL1) vs. Rio Grande Valley FC Toros (USLC)	TBD	WakeMed Soccer Park; Cary, N.C.
TBD	Orange County SC (USLC) vs. Los Angeles Force (NISA)	TBD	Orange County Great Park – Championship Soccer Stadium; Irvine, Calif.
TBD	Phoenix Rising FC (USLC) vs. Valley United FC (NISA)	TBD	Phoenix Rising Stadium at Wild Horse Pass; Chandler, Ariz.
TBD	Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (USLC) vs. Maryland Bobcats FC (NISA)	TBD	Highmark Stadium; Pittsburgh, Pa.
TBD	St. Louis CITY 2 (MLSNP) vs. Indy Eleven (USLC)	TBD	Ralph Korte Stadium (Southern Illinois Univ. Edwardsville); Edwardsville, Ill.

Division II vs. Open Division (8 games)

Date	Game (home team listed first)	Time	Venue
TBD	Birmingham Legion FC (USLC) vs. Southern States SC Stars (NPSL)/Georgia Revolution FC (NPSL) winner	TBD	Protective Stadium; Birmingham, Ala.
TBD	FC Tulsa (USLC) vs. Tulsa Athletic (NPSL)/Azteca FC (Colo.) winner	TBD	ONEOK Field; Tulsa, Okla.
TBD	Hartford Athletic (USLC) vs. Hartford City FC (NPSL)/Oyster Bay United FC (N.Y.) winner	TBD	Dillon Stadium; Hartford, Conn.
TBD	Miami FC (USLC) vs. Miami United FC (NPSL)/City Soccer FC (Fla.) winner	TBD	Fla. International Univ. Soccer Stadium; Miami, Fla.
TBD	New Mexico United (USLC) vs. Las Vegas Legends FC (NPSL)/Park City Red Wolves SC (USLL2) winner	TBD	Isotopes Park; Albuquerque, N.M.
TBD	Sacramento Republic FC (USLC) vs. Portland Timbers U23 (USLL2)/Contra Costa FC (Calif.) winner	TBD	Heart Health Park; Sacramento, Calif.
TBD	San Antonio FC (USLC) vs. Denton Diablos FC (NPSL)/D’Feeters Kicks Soccer Club (Texas) winner	TBD	Toyota Field; San Antonio, Texas
TBD	Tampa Bay Rowdies (USLC) vs. The Villages SC (USLL2)/Orlando FC Wolves (Fla.) winner	TBD	Al Lang Stadium; St. Petersburg, Fla.

Division III vs. Open Division (8 games)

Date	Game (home team listed first)	Time	Venue
TBD	Nova FC (Va.) vs. Richmond Kickers (USLL1)	TBD	Virginia Revolution Sportsplex; Leesburg, Va.
	-or-
	Richmond Kickers (USLL1) vs. Lynchburg FC (Va.)	TBD	City Stadium; Richmond, Va.
TBD	FC Motown (NPSL) vs. AC Syracuse Pulse (NISA)	TBD	Montclair State University Soccer Park; Montclair, N.J.
	-or-
	West Chester United SC (USLL2) vs. AC Syracuse Pulse (NISA)	TBD	WCUSC/PF Kildare’s Pub Turf Field; West Chester, Pa.
TBD	Western Mass Pioneers (USLL2) vs. Flower City Union (NISA)	TBD	Lusitano Stadium; Ludlow, Mass.
	-or-
	Flower City Union (NISA) vs. Brockton FC United (Mass.)	TBD	Marina Auto Stadium; Rochester, N.Y.
TBD	California United Strikers FC (NISA) vs. San Fernando Valley FC (Calif.)/Escondido FC (Calif.) winner	TBD	Orange County Great Park – Championship Soccer Stadium; Irvine, Calif.
TBD	Charlotte Independence (USLL1) vs. South Carolina United FC Bantams (USLL2)/North Carolina Fusion U23 (USLL2) winner	TBD	American Legion Memorial Stadium; Charlotte, N.C.
TBD	Forward Madison FC (USLL1) vs. Cleveland SC (NPSL)/Chicago FC United (USLL2) winner	TBD	Breese Stevens Field; Madison, Wis.
TBD	Rochester New York FC (MLSNP) vs. Ocean City Nor’easters (USLL2)/Lansdowne Yonkers FC (N.Y.) winner	TBD	Monroe Community College; Rochester, N.Y.
TBD	Union Omaha (USLL1) vs. Des Moines Menace (USLL2)/Minneapolis City SC (NPSL) winner	TBD	Morrison Stadium (Creighton Univ.); Omaha, Neb.

2022 US Open Cup: Rule changes since 2019 tournament

February 5, 2022 by Jake Sillick

Atlanta United FC broke the all-time US Open Cup Final attendance record with a crowd of 35,709 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium for the 2019 Final. Photo: Allison Andrews

This week, after long delays, US Soccer has released the First Round pairings for the 2022 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. The 32 Open Division clubs entering the competition learned their opponent, with the remaining 71 professional clubs entering in future rounds.

Another item that was distributed to teams is the 2022 US Open Cup handbook. The handbook lists all the rules clubs must follow throughout the competition, along with copies of the forms that must be filled out for various administrative tasks, such as venue declaration, application to host matches, travel reimbursement forms, and broadcasting requests. TheCup.us did receive a copy of this handbook, and since the last tournament proper match, the 2019 US Open Cup Final between Atlanta United and Minnesota United, there have been a few changes to tournament rules as well as some minor details on forms that have changed. We have reported on some of these before, but let’s go through all of the changes over the last two and a half years.

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Tournament Format and Method for Pairings

With the expansion of all professional leagues, changing up when teams would enter the competition was necessary.

Major League Soccer has the biggest change. In 2020, before the COVID-19 pandemic canceled the competition, roughly half of the MLS teams in the competition would have enter into the Third Round, with the rest entering in the Fourth Round/Round of 32. Continuing expansion since then required more MLS teams to enter into the Third Round. For 2022, roughly 75% of MLS teams, 17 in total, will enter in the Third Round. The remaining eight will enter in the Round of 32.

The eight teams that enter in the Round of 32 are the 4 clubs participating in the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League (Colorado Rapids, New England Revolution, New York City FC, and Seattle Sounders FC) and then the next two best teams from each the Eastern and Western Conferences based on their 2021 regular season performance. (Nashville SC, Philadelphia Union, Portland Timbers, Sporting Kansas City). This more than doubles the number of opportunities for lower division teams to reach the Round of 32. 11 slots were available in 2019, now there are 24.

As a consequence of MLS moving teams into the Third Round, a regionalized draw will now occur for the Third Round. Previously, matchups were just manually determined based on geography. Either groups of four teams or groups of six teams will be determined based on geography, with MLS teams evenly distributed in the groups and then ensuring that MLS teams pair up with a winner from the Second Round. The Round of 32 draw will also have groups of four with the eight MLS teams evenly distributed between the eight groups, ensuring those specific eight teams do not play each other in the Round of 32. They can play a MLS team that entered in the Third Round, however. Round of 16 and beyond pairings remain unchanged from 2019.

New Hosting Fee for Third Round

In 2019, the Third Round did not have a hosting fee. Now, with MLS teams involved in that round, US Soccer has added one. For only the matches involving a MLS team, which would be 17 of the 24 Third Round matches in 2022, a $6,000 hosting fee will be added on to the normal take of 15% of all ticket revenue above $100,000, no matter if the host team is the MLS team or the lower division team. There will be no hosting fee assessed if the Third Round match does not involve a MLS team. Typically, teams do not generate more than $100,000 in ticket revenue for a US Open Cup Third Round match, so it would just be the $6,000 fee owed to US Soccer.

Hosting fees for the previous two rounds remain at $0 plus the 15% of ticket revenue above $100,000. The hosting fees for the Round of 32 and subsequent rounds remain unchanged from 2019. The Round of 32 hosting fee is $12,000, Round of 16 hosting fee is $18,000, Quarterfinal is $25,000, Semifinal is $50,000, and the Final is $250,000. In the Semifinal round, US Soccer takes 50% of ticket revenue above $100,000, and takes 50% of ticket revenue above $300,000.

Day of Game changes

For 2022, a few matchday requirements have changed for hosting and visiting teams. Teams are now required to arrive at the venue 90 minutes prior to kick off, a change from 75 minutes. A scoreboard that can count up from 0 to 120 minutes is now preferred, if possible. Of course, a lot of scoreboards only have four digits allowed for the time, so hopefully US Soccer is understanding of that. Referee payment have been updated as they are every year as they are negotiated between PRO and the PRSA. Finally, an EMS vehicle or ambulance on site at the venue is now required to host matches.

In-Match Rule Changes

As has been consistent with other leagues due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the US Open Cup will now have five substitutions allowed in three windows, plus halftime. A sixth substitute and additional window will be granted if the match goes to extra time. In addition, concussion substitutes will be allowed, two per team per game, with the other team getting another sub if a concussion substitute is used. Data will be collected and sent to the IFAB for analysis regarding this, as it is a trial rule. Rules regarding technical staff receiving yellow and red cards have been updated, complying with the change from the IFAB. Finally, rules for terminated and cancelled matches regarding when the match will be made up have been updated for clarity. Generally, any match stopped due to weather shall be made up the next day.

Player Eligibility Changes

In 2019, professional teams were limited to five international players (that is, players on work visas) in an 18-man gameday roster. For 2022, that rule has been removed and now if your roster is compliant with your league’s rules, it is compliant with the US Open Cup as well. Most professional leagues have seven slots on a roster for players on work visas, with slots allowed to be traded within the league to other teams. Rosters for all teams that enter the competition after US Open Cup qualifying (the tournament proper) must be submitted to US Soccer at least three weeks prior to the team’s first match in the competition. This will allow the Player Services department at US Soccer enough time to review all players on the roster and their eligibility.

Travel Reimbursement Increases

US Soccer reimburses travel expenses an away team may have, from flights, hotels, transportation, and meals. For each match from the First Round to the Semifinals, US Soccer will provide up to $13,000 per team per match for a traveling party of up to 26 people. This is an increase from 2019, which was $12,000 for a traveling party of up to 24 people. There has also been an increase in the travel reimbursement for the Final. The visiting team now receives $22,500 for a two-night stay or $27,500 for a three-night stay, for up to 32 people in the traveling party. Those numbers used to be $20,000 and $25,000 for 30 people.

ESPN may not distribute every match

It’s a very minor change to the broadcast request form, but in 2019 the form was clear that ESPN held all video rights for the First Round to the Final and there wouldn’t be any consideration for additional broadcasters in the video space. Now, the form states that ESPN holds the video rights for the tournament and any match they distribute will not allow for additional consideration in the video space. This seems to indicate that ESPN and/or ESPN+ will not broadcast every match of the tournament like in 2019. US Soccer has not responded to comment on just what this means exactly. A broadcast schedule is also referenced in US Open Cup press releases, which is to be determined. This is odd because if every match is on ESPN+, the tournament schedule and broadcast schedule would be identical. This seems to indicate the broadcast schedule will be a subset of tournament matches. We’re working to find out just how big or small of a subset of matches that is. If it is a subset, what will teams be allowed to do for broadcasting the match online?