Jesters in U.S. Open Cup
Entering its 105th year, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, U.S. Soccer’s National Championship, is the only high-profile competition in American team sports where amateur sides have the opportunity to face professionals in meaningful competition. The tournament is conducted on a single-game, knockout basis and open to all professional and amateur teams affiliated with U.S. Soccer and has crowned a champion annually since 1914. In 1999, the competition was renamed to honor United States soccer pioneer Lamar Hunt.
“The U.S. Open Cup provides an invaluable measure for our teams to compete outside of the National Premier Soccer League and continues to be an important setting to showcase its top teams from the previous season,” NPSL Chairman Joe Barone commented. “The NPSL is honored to participate in the U.S. Open Cup and to help promote this historic competition.”
NPSL teams will enter in the First Round on May 9. Twenty-two clubs from the professional Division II United Soccer League (USL) will enter the action starting in the Second Round on May 16. The Third Round takes place on May 23, and will send its winners up against 20 Division I MLS clubs in the Fourth Round on June 6. In a format change, a new Fourth Round Draw will be held May 24 to determine these matchups.
The 2018 U.S. Open Cup winner will earn increased prize money, a berth in the 2019 CONCACAF Champions League, and have its name engraved on the Dewar Challenge Trophy, one of the oldest nationally contested trophies in American team sports.
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ussoccer.com is the official website of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and will stream many games of the 2018 competition in addition to offering comprehensive video and written coverage of the tournament. You can follow the Open Cup on Twitterand Instagram @OpenCup and Facebook @OfficialOpenCup.