USL pro clubs fully participate in 2024 US Open Cup - MLS Next Pro enter in Round One
Five clubs from Florida have qualified for Open Cup
The United Soccer League and US Soccer confirmed that 47 USL teams eligible to compete will participate in the 2024 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, including all 36 USL men’s professional teams and the qualified 11 USL men’s pre-professional clubs. This follows U.S. Soccer’s announcement of the finalized format for the 109th edition of the tournament.
“The USL has supported the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup for nearly 30 years, and we are proud to be part of it again in 2024. We applaud all the USL clubs who have decided to participate in this year's U.S. Open Cup, despite being handed the option to decline. We appreciate and share the fans’ passion for our country’s most historic and authentic competition, and we look forward to watching the drama unfold over the course of the tournament.”
Paul McDonough USL President
Eight USL Championship clubs will enter the tournament in the 4th Round as will all 8 MLS clubs that are participating. The other 16 USL Championship clubs enter in Round 3.
Of note, MLS Next Pro teams are being forced to start the tournament in the same round as NISA teams and adult amateur ones. Whatever else we can blame the USSF for, that was a strong move and an enforcement of divisional standards.
Additionally, I am told DC United has been excluded from the competition due to its part-ownership of USL Championship club Loudoun United, who will enter the competition ironically two rounds later than MLS NP sides.
The decision of CONCACAF to weigh into the US Open Cup situation on behalf of MLS (reported by multiple other outlets) left US Soccer with little choice but to allow MLS dictate terms for the 2024 competition. As a result MLS is only fielding eight first teams in the competition but meanwhile the other clubs that are not CONCACAF Champions Cup are able to field their D3 reserve teams - which are being treated as D3 sides in terms of entry to the competition.
Here is the full list of participating clubs and round of entry. Clubs from Florida are bolded.
COMPLETE LIST OF TEAMS FOR 2024 OPEN CUP PROPER
Professional Division Teams
Division I
8 teams
Major League Soccer
(All 8 teams enter in the Round of 32)
Atlanta United FC
FC Dallas
Houston Dynamo FC (Defending U.S. Open Cup Champion)
Los Angeles FC
Real Salt Lake
San Jose Earthquakes
Seattle Sounders FC
Sporting Kansas City
Division II
24 teams
USL Championship
(16 teams enter in the Third Round and 8 teams in the Round of 32)
Birmingham Legion FC
Charleston Battery*
Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC*
Detroit City FC
El Paso Locomotive
FC Tulsa
Hartford Athletic
Indy Eleven
Las Vegas Lights FC
Loudoun United FC
Louisville City FC
Memphis 901 FC
Miami FC
Monterey Bay FC
New Mexico United
North Carolina FC
Oakland Roots SC
Orange County Soccer Club*
Phoenix Rising FC*
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC*
Rhode Island FC
Sacramento Republic FC*
San Antonio FC*
Tampa Bay Rowdies*
* USL Championship league champion (Phoenix Rising FC) and next seven best teams from 2023 standings enter Round of 32
Division III
32 teams
USL League One, NISA, MLS Next Pro
(All teams entering in the First Round)
USL League One
12 teams
(Teams entering in the First Round)
Central Valley Fuego FC
Charlotte Independence
Chattanooga Red Wolves SC
Forward Madison FC
Greenville Triumph SC
One Knoxville SC
Lexington SC
Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC
Richmond Kickers
South Georgia Tormenta FC
Spokane Velocity FC
Union Omaha
MLS Next Pro
11 teams
(Entering in the First Round)
Austin FC II
Carolina Core FC
Chattanooga FC
Chicago Fire II
Colorado Rapids 2
Crown Legacy FC
Minnesota United FC2
LA Galaxy II
New York City FC II
New York Red Bulls II
Portland Timbers 2
NISA (National Independent Soccer Association)
9 teams
(Teams entering in the First Round)
Arizona Monsoon FC
Capo FC
Club de Lyon FC
Georgia Lions FC
Irvine Zeta FC
Los Angeles Force
Maryland Bobcats FC
Michigan Stars FC
Savannah Clovers FC
Open Division Teams
Division IV/Open
32 teams
(Teams entering in the First Round)
SC MesoAmerica (California / USASA / USASA National Amateur Cup Winner)
AS Frenzi (Florida / UPSL Spring Champion)
Open Division Local Qualifiers
11 teams – winners from the Four Rounds of Local Qualifying / Fall 2023
Azteca FC (Colorado, Colorado Premier League / USSSA-Soccer)
Chicago House AC (Illinois / Midwest Premier League / USASA)
Christos FC (Maryland / Maryland Super Soccer League/ USASA)
FC America CFL Spurs (Florida / United States Soccer League / USSSA-Soccer)
FORO SC (Texas / UPSL)
SCU Heat (South Carolina / UPSL)
Brockton FC United (Massachusetts / UPSL)
Vereinigung Erzgebirge (Pennsylvania / United Soccer League of Penn. / USASA)
Miami United FC (Florida / United States Soccer League / USSSA-Soccer)
FC Folsom (California / UPSL)
Irvine Zeta FC II (California / UPSL)
National Premier Soccer League (NPSL)
8 teams – based on 2023 league competition
Tulsa Athletic (Oklahoma)
Apotheos FC (Georgia)
West Chester United SC (Pennsylvania)
El Farolito (California)
Steel City FC (Pennsylvania)
FC Motown (New Jersey)
Lubbock Matadors SC (Texas)
Duluth FC (Minnesota)
USL League Two
11 teams – based on 2023 league competition
Ballard FC (Washington)
Chicago City SC (Illinois)
Asheville City SC (North Carolina)
Brave SC (Formerly The Villages SC, Florida)
Redlands FC (California)
South Carolina United Bantams (South Carolina)
Des Moines Menace (Iowa)
Western Mass Pioneers (Massachusetts)
Vermont Green FC (Vermont)
Hudson Valley Hammers (New York)
The hope is that USSF will revert to requiring ALL the MLS First Teams join in the US Open Cup, after the NASL lawsuit is finally dismissed, and when MLS Next Pro teams get humiliated at the earliest rounds.....
What was the rationale for excluding DC United? I understand conflict of interest, but in this context, it seems like something pretty easily remedied (no player sharing, etc.).