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USL Louisville City FC

NEWS: Louisville City FC's U.S. Open Cup Path Revealed

March 1, 2017 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Louisville City FC News Release


Louisville City FC will enter this year's Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup - the annual knockout tournament open to amateur and professional clubs - as one of a modern era-record 99 teams competing in 2017, U.S. Soccer announced Wednesday.

United Soccer League sides start competition on May 17 in the Second Round against a First Round winner from Open Division local qualifiers. Six contenders from U.S. Soccer's other Division 2 league, the North American Soccer League, will debut at the same time as their USL counterparts.

From there, Second Round winners meet one another May 31 in the Third Round before Major League Soccer teams enter June 14 in Fourth Round play. Once the U.S. Open cup whittles down to 16, a fixed bracket will set up the rest of the tournament, which concludes with the Final on Sept. 20.

Details of LouCity's May 17 game - opponent, time and location - will be announced later.

Teams are typically paired geographically in early round play. Last year, LouCity opened by topping Detroit City FC, from the National Premier Soccer League, in a penalty kick shootout before facing the NASL's Indy Eleven. In 2015, LouCity advanced to play the Chicago Fire, taking the MLS side to extra time.

"It's a fantastic tournament," said LouCity coach James O'Connor. "I really enjoyed our first year, getting to play the Chicago Fire in Chicago. I was disappointed with the way it worked out for us last year, losing to Indy Eleven after going up 1-0. So this year we're excited to get back into the competition - really looking forward to it."

FC Dallas last fall extended a 17-year streak of MLS teams winning the U.S. Open Cup. But lower-division clubs often score upsets, and in 1999, the Rochester Rhinos became the most recent USL member to win the tournament.

This year, the winner will receive $250,000, a berth in the 2019 CONCACAF Champions' League and have its name engraved on the historic Dewar Challenge Trophy, one of the oldest nationally contested trophies in U.S. team sports. The runner-up will earn $60,000, while the team that advances the furthest from each lower division will take home a $15,000 cash prize.

An American champion has been crowned for 103 consecutive years dating back to 1914. In 1999, the competition was renamed to honor United States soccer pioneer Lamar Hunt.

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