CHICAGO – In the first major restructuring of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup since 2012, the U.S. Soccer Open Cup Committee ratified an updated competition format and expanded the tournament calendar for 2020. The decisions to revamp the U.S. Open Cup – U.S. Soccer’s National Championship – were voted on and passed during the Committee’s meeting in late November.
REVISED COMPETITION FORMAT
In a significant move, the competition format for 2020 will require 11 Division I clubs from Major League Soccer (MLS) to enter in the Third Round, one round earlier than in recent years.
Additionally, the Open Cup Committee determined that all eligible professional Division II and Division III sides will enter in the Second Round, while teams from the Open Division – which encompasses all clubs and leagues outside of the three professional divisions – will see their inaugural action in the First Round.
The remaining 12 MLS clubs, which will include the four USA entrants to the 2020 Concacaf Champions League and the next four best American regular-season finishers in each of the league’s Eastern and Western Conferences, will enter in the Round of 32 (previously labeled the Fourth Round).
The format revision consequently increases the number of matches between Division I Major League Soccer teams and those from lower divisions across multiple rounds of the competition starting with the Third Round. It also increases the opportunity (from 11 in 2019) for up to 20 lower division clubs to reach the Round of 32. The 2019 tournament saw 11 “David vs. Goliath” matchups involving MLS sides over the first four rounds, while 2020 will have the same number of clashes in the Third Round plus up to 16 others (depending on Third Round results and the Round of 32 Draw) in the following round.
EXPANDED COMPETITION CALENDAR
Beyond the revised format, the Committee also ratified the 2020 competition schedule, with the First Round set for March 24-25, the earliest start in the Open Cup’s modern era (1995 to present).
The expanded tournament calendar will allow rounds to take place at least two weeks apart, providing additional time for home teams to market and sell tickets and for visiting clubs to arrange travel earlier at lower cost. In 2019, only one week separated the First and Second Rounds, as well as the Rounds of 32 and 16.
2020 FIRST ROUND CLUBS
The 12 winners from the Nov. 23-24 third qualifying round will be joined in the tournament's First Round by Newtown Pride FC (Newtown, Conn.), the 2019 U.S. Adult Soccer Association National Amateur Cup champion, as well as a number of clubs to be determined from the National Premier Soccer League and USL League Two, nationwide amateur leagues that both elected the Open Division National Leagues track (using league results from 2019) for qualifying teams for the 2020 Open Cup.
MATCH-UP DETERMINATION COMING
The method for determining pairings for each round and the number of berths allocated to NPSL and USL League Two sides will be decided by the Open Cup Committee after the pro team confirmation deadline on Dec. 31, 2019 and announced in early January 2020.
ESPN+ TO BROADCAST MATCHES
For the second consecutive year and as part of a four-year deal, ESPN+ will be the home for the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The 2020 Final could take place as late as Sept. 24.
2020 LAMAR HUNT U.S. OPEN CUP COMPETITION SCHEDULE
Jan. 9 Pairings methodology, Open Division berth allocation announced
Jan. 22 First Round pairings announced
Jan. 29 Second Round pairings and possible pairings announced
March 24-25 First Round (Open Division teams enter)
April 7-9 Second Round (Division II and III teams enter)
April 10 Third Round Draw
April 21-23 Third Round (11 Division I teams enter)
April 24 Round of 32 Draw
May 19-20 Round of 32 (remaining 12 Division I teams enter)
May 21 Round of 16/Quarterfinal Draw
June 10 Possible Round of 16
June 23-24 Round of 16 or Quarterfinals
July 14-15 Quarterfinals or Semifinals
Aug. 11-12 Semifinals or Final
Sept. 22-24 Possible Final
2020 LAMAR HUNT U.S. OPEN CUP PARTICIPATING TEAMS
Professional Division Teams Eligible to Participate:
Division I – Major League Soccer
Teams entering in the Round of 32 (12): Atlanta United FC (defending Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup champion), D.C. United, Los Angeles FC, LA Galaxy, Minnesota United FC, New England Revolution, New York City FC, New York Red Bulls, Philadelphia Union, Portland Timbers, Real Salt Lake, Seattle Sounders FC
Teams entering in the Third Round (11): Chicago Fire FC, Colorado Rapids, Columbus Crew SC, FC Cincinnati, FC Dallas, Houston Dynamo, Inter Miami CF, Nashville SC, Orlando City SC, San Jose Earthquakes, Sporting Kansas City
Division II – USL Championship (excludes teams majority-owned or otherwise controlled by a higher division professional club)
Teams entering in the Second Round: To be named after the Dec. 31 professional division confirmation deadline
Division III – USL League One (excludes teams majority-owned or otherwise controlled by a higher division professional club)
Teams entering in the Second Round: To be named after the Dec. 31 professional division confirmation deadline
Division III – National Independent Soccer Association (excludes teams majority-owned or otherwise controlled by a higher division professional club)
Teams entering in the Second Round: To be named after the Dec. 31 professional division confirmation deadline
Open Division Teams, entering in First Round:
Local Qualifiers (12):
East Region: Christos FC (Md.), New York Pancyprian Freedoms (N.Y.), Vereinigung Erzgebirge (Pa.), Virginia United* (Va.)
Central Region: Louisiana Krewe FC (La.), Miami United FC U23 (Fla.), Nashville United (Tenn.), NTX Rayados* (Texas)
West Region: Cal FC* (Calif.), Chula Vista FC (Calif.), FC Boulder Harpos (Colo.), Olympic Club (Calif.)
* Participated in 2019 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
2019 U.S. Adult Soccer Association National Amateur Cup champion: Newtown Pride FC (Conn.)
National Premier Soccer League: To be named after confirmation of the Open Division berths available. The NPSL entered its teams via the National Leagues track under Open Cup regulations, opting to use 2019 league results to determine its qualifiers for the 2020 tournament.
USL League Two: To be named after confirmation of the Open Division berths available. USL League Two entered its teams via the National Leagues track under Open Cup regulations, opting to use 2019 league results to determine its qualifiers for the 2020 tournament.
