LouCity's 2026 U.S. Open Cup to Begin in Mid-March
USL Louisville City FC

LouCity's 2026 U.S. Open Cup to Begin in Mid-March

Published on December 4, 2025 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Louisville City FC News Release


Louisville City FC will begin its run in the 111th Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in the tournament's first round on March 17-19.

The U.S. Soccer Federation announced the format and participating teams for next season's edition of the annual competition. A field of 80 teams will contest for a $1 million purse and a place in the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup, an international competition similar to the UEFA Champions League.

Of those 80 teams, 48 are professional clubs. LouCity's first round matchup will come from the Open Division, featuring an amateur club.

The 32 winners from the first round will then face off in a second-round matchup on March 31 or April 1. Should LouCity then advance, a team from Major League Soccer will be waiting in the round of 32.

U.S. Soccer will announce the first and second round draws and schedule in January. As usual, geography will be a factor in determining draw groups and pairings.

The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is U.S. Soccer's club national championship and has crowned a champion annually since 1914 (with the exception of 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic). The historic tournament is conducted on a single-game, knockout basis and open to all professional and amateur teams affiliated with U.S. Soccer. It is the longest-running national soccer competition in the United States and the world's third-longest continuously run national cup tournament.

Louisville City has taken part in the U.S. Open Cup in nine of its 11 seasons - every season the competition has been held in club history. Louisville has advanced as far as the quarterfinal round in 2018. Last season, LouCity fell to MLS' Minnesota United FC in the tournament's round of 32.

2026 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Schedule

First Round: Tuesday, March 17 - Thursday, March 19

Second Round: Tuesday, March 31 - Wednesday, April 1

Round of 32: Tuesday, April 14 - Wednesday, April 15

Round of 16: Tuesday, April 28 - Wednesday, April 29

Quarterfinals: Tuesday, May 19 - Wednesday, May 20

Semifinals: Tuesday, Sept. 15 - Wednesday, Sept. 16

Final: Wednesday, Oct. 21

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