This morning, the US Soccer Federation officially announced which teams will compete in the 2026 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, as well as a slightly condensed format that will accommodate a busy summer when the 2026 FIFA World Cup comes to North America.
The 111th edition of the country's national soccer tournament will kick off on March 17, and will conclude on October 21. A total of 80 teams will participate this upcoming year, down from 96 in 2025. And the tournament will be just seven rounds, down from eight in 2025. News of this reduction was first reported by Sam Lattof in the Blazing Musket on Wednesday.
Major League Soccer's New York City FC will participate alongside Red Bull New York, joining the tournament in the Round of 32 in mid-April. Local lower-league clubs Flower City Union of Rochester, NY (National Premier Soccer League), FC Motown of Morristown, NJ (USL League Two), and NY Renegades FC of Hicksville, NY (United Premier Soccer League) will join the tournament in earlier rounds.
A Semi-Open Cup
In total, 80 teams will compete in the tournament, with a $1 million purse and a spot in the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup up for grabs. That's a reduction from the 96 that participated in 2025.
For the third year in a row, just 16 MLS teams will take part. The 14 MLS teams that will not participate include the eight that will take part in the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup. This includes defending US Open Cup champion Nashville SC, making this the second consecutive tournament to not have the cup holders participate.
The 16 teams that are competing in the Open Cup include the clubs not taking part in the 2026 Leagues Cup, plus the next-best teams in the Supporters' Shield standings that failed to make the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup.
2026 US Open Cup | Participating MLS Teams (16)
• Atlanta United
• Austin FC
• Charlotte FC
• Chicago Fire FC
• Colorado Rapids
• Columbus Crew
• DC United
• Houston Dynamo FC
• New England Revolution
• New York City FC
• Orlando City SC
• Red Bull New York
• San Jose Earthquakes
• St Louis CITY SC
• Minnesota United FC
• Sporting Kansas City
Michael Battista
Michael Battista
Fewer lower-league clubs
However, MLS aren't the only league not fully participating. The second-division USL Championship (Division II) and third-division USL League One (Division III) aren't sending all of their teams to the tournament.
USLC will send 17 teams, allocated between the East and West Conferences based on the 2025 table. This list includes defending league champion Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, who knocked out NYCFC in last year's competition, along with defending USL Jägermeister Cup champion Hartford Athletic.
2026 US Open Cup | Participating USLC Teams (17)
• Charleston Battery
• Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
• Detroit City FC
• El Paso Locomotive FC
• FC Tulsa
• Hartford Athletic
• Indy Eleven
• Lexington SC
• Loudoun United FC
• Louisville City FC
• New Mexico United
• Orange County SC
• Phoenix Rising FC
• Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
• Rhode Island FC
• Sacramento Republic FC
• San Antonio FC
USL1 will be sending 13 teams that competed in the tournament last year, including Westchester SC.
2026 US Open Cup | Participating USL1 Teams (13)
• AV ALTA FC
• Charlotte Independence
• Chattanooga Red Wolves SC
• FC Naples
• Forward Madison FC
• Greenville Triumph SC
• One Knoxville SC
• Portland Hearts of Pine
• Richmond Kickers
• South Georgia Tormenta FC
• Spokane Velocity FC
• Union Omaha
• Westchester SC
Because 2025 league standings were used as a qualification method, expansion sides set to join the league this coming year will not take part. This includes Brooklyn FC, which intend to launch a men's team in USLC in 2026, and the Cosmos.
As for third-division MLS NEXT Pro, only the two independent teams that took part in the 2025 tournament will return: Carolina Core FC and Chattanooga FC. Like USL, no 2026 expansion teams will take part — including Connecticut United FC which is set to debut next year. No MLS-affiliated teams will compete, although players with MLS NEXT Pro squads will be allowed to appear in the competition for their respective Division I sides.
2026 US Open Cup | Participating MLSNP Teams (2)
• Carolina Core FC
• Chattanooga FC
A lot of Cinderellas
Unlike the professional clubs, the amateur side of the competition remains intact. A total of 32 teams will enter the tournament via the Open Division in mid-March. Once again, the First Round will feature every amateur team facing off against a professional team from one of the Division II or Division III leagues.
This group of 32 teams is comprised of those that advanced through the qualifying tournament this past fall. That includes SC Vistula Garfield of Garfield, NJ, and NY Renegades FC of Hicksville, NY.
#USOC2026 QR4: Final. Oaklyn United FC 1:2 SC Vistula Garfield (NJ) Oaklyn United got back in it near the end, but it wasn't enough as SC Vistula Garfield capitalizes on Emiland Elezaj's first half brace to win the game and qualify for the next edition of the US Open Cup.
— US Open Cup News (@thecup.us) 2025-11-24T01:10:48.577Z
A total of 16 teams that compete in either the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) or USL League Two qualified based on their performance last season. This group includes the following local clubs:
- FC Motown STA (Morristown, NJ) – USL League Two Qualifier
- Flower City Union (Rochester, NY) – NPSL Qualifier
This group also includes defending USL2 national champion Vermont Green FC and UPSL Spring Champion Tennessee Tempo FC, led by former NYCFC legend Kwado Poku.
2026 US Open Cup | Participating Amateur Teams (32)
Participating via 2026 Qualifying Rounds
• ASC New Stars (Houston, TX Houston Football Association)
• Azteca FC (Denver, CO; Colorado Premier League)
• Badgers FC (Boynton Beach, FL; UPSL)
• BOHFS St. Louis (Saint Louis, MO; Midwest Premier League)
• CD Faialense (Winthrop, MA; Bay State Soccer League)
• FC America CFL Spurs (Orlando, Fla; UPSL)
• Kalonji Pro-Profile (Dacula, GA; UPSL)
• Laguna United FC (Laguna Niguel, CA.; UPSL)
• NY Renegades FC (Hicksville, NY; UPSL)
• Red Force (Miami, FL; Premier Futbol League)
• San Ramon FC (San Ramon, CA; The League for Clubs)
• SC Vistula Garfield (Garfield, NJ; APSL)
• Southern Indiana FC (Corydon, IN; UPSL)
• Steel City FC (Pittsburgh, PA; USL League Two)
• Valley 559 FC (Fresno, CA; UPSL)
• Virginia Dream FC (Arlington, VA; UPSL)
Advanced to First Round via League/Competition Play
• Asheville City SC (Asheville, NC; USL League Two Qualifier)
• Des Moines Menace (Des Moines, IA; USL League Two Qualifier)
• El Farolito (San Francisco, CA; 2025 John Motta Trophy Winner)
• FC Motown STA (Morristown, NJ; USL League Two Qualifier)
• Flint City Bucks (Flint, MI; USL League Two Qualifier)
• Flower City Union (Rochester, NY; NPSL Qualifier)
• Hickory FC (Hickory, NC; NPSL Qualifier)
• Laredo Heat SC (Laredo, TX; USL League Two Qualifier)
• Little Rock Rangers (Little Rock, AR; USL League Two Qualifier)
• Michigan Rangers (Hudsonville, MI; NPSL Qualifier)
• Northern Virginia FC (Leesburg, VA; USL League Two Qualifier)
• Ristozi FC (Baltimore, MD; NPSL Qualifier)
• Tennessee Tempo FC (Murfreesboro, TN; UPSL Spring Champion)
• Ventura County Fusion (Ventura, CA; USL League Two Qualifier)
• Vermont Green FC (Burlington, VT; USL League Two Qualifier)
• West Chester United SC (West Chester, PA; United Soccer League of Pennsylvania, 2025 USASA National Amateur Cup Champion)
One fewer round
The 2026 US Open Cup will feature seven rounds, down from the eight rounds in recent editions, to avoid overlapping the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup. This lost round also reduced the field of professional teams from 64 to 48.
2026 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Schedule
• First Round: Tuesday, March 17 – Thursday, March 19
Open Division, Division III, and Division II teams enter
• Second Round: Tuesday, March 31 – Wednesday, April 1
• Round of 32: Tuesday, April 14 – Wednesday, April 15
Division I teams enter
• Round of 16: Tuesday, April 28 – Wednesday, April 29
• Quarterfinals: Tuesday, May 19 – Wednesday, May 20
• Semifinals: Tuesday, September 15 - Wednesday, September 16
• Final: Wednesday, October 21
