11 NPSL TEAMS TO COMPETE IN THE U.S. OPEN CUP
The competition format and pairings for the first two rounds of the 2014 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup are set with the largest field in the tournament’s modern era (1995-present), kicking off on May 7 with eight matches.
A new feature will be the prospect that many pro teams will have to play an early-round Open Cup match on a weekend date (a first in the competition’s modern era). This scheduling opportunity for fourth round games June 14-15 is the result of a league break Division I (Major League Soccer) and II (North American Soccer League) clubs will take during the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, recognized as U.S. Soccer’s National Club Championship, is an annual competition open to all amateur and professional soccer teams affiliated with U.S. Soccer. The tournament has crowned a champion for 100 consecutive years dating back to 1914. This year’s winner will earn $250,000 and have its name engraved on the historic Dewar Challenge Trophy, one of the oldest nationally contested trophies in American team sports. The runner-up will take home $60,000, while the team that advances the furthest from each lower division will earn a $15,000 cash prize. D.C. United is the defending U.S. Open Cup champion, having won its third tournament title (following triumphs in 1996 and 2008) after a tense 1-0 road victory over Real Salt Lake on Oct. 1, 2013. In 1999, the competition was renamed to honor American soccer pioneer Lamar Hunt.
Tournament Format and Match Dates
The 2014 U.S. Open Cup will be conducted on a single-elimination, one-game-knockout basis utilizing a tiered-bracket format. Teams will be paired geographically. In the event that three or more teams are from the same proximity, pairings for these teams will be made by random selection. Pairings will be arranged to prevent the possibility of a lower division team playing a parent club (e.g. Portland Timbers U-23s [PDL] will not be pitted against the Portland Timbers [MLS], should both teams be in the competition in the same round) except for the Final.
• First Round-May 7
• Second Round-May 14
• Third Round-May 28
• Fourth Round-June 10-18
• Fifth Round-June 24-25
• Quarterfinal (Sixth) Round-July 8-9
• Semifinal Round-Aug. 12-13
• Final-Sept. 30-Oct. 1
Full Listing of First and Second Round Pairings
NPSL Teams Participating in the 2014 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
Six clubs will enter in the Second Round and five will enter in the First Round
| Brooklyn Italians | Greater Binghamton Thunder | RVA FC |
| CD Aguiluchos1 | Jacksonville United | San Diego Flash1 |
| Chattanooga FC | FC Lehigh Valley United Sonic1 | Tulsa Athletics |
| Detroit City FC1 | New York Red Bulls U-23s1 |
1 Team entering in First Round
2014 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Schedule
First Round Schedule
| Date | Game | Time/Result | Venue |
| May 7 | FC Lehigh Valley United Sonic (NPSL) at GPS Portland Phoenix (PDL) | 7 p.m. ET | Deering High School; Portland, Maine |
| May 7 | RWB Adria (USASA) at Detroit City FC (NPSL) | 7 p.m. ET | Stevenson High School; Livonia, Mich. |
| May 7 | Vermont Voltage (PDL) at New York Red Bulls U-23s (NPSL) | 8 p.m. ET | Red Bull Training Facility; Whippany, N.J. |
| May 7 | CD Aguiluchos (NPSL) at Ventura County Fusion (PDL) | 7 p.m. PT | Ventura College; Ventura, Calif. |
| May 7 | TBD (US Club Soccer) at San Diego Flash (NPSL) | 7 p.m. PT | Mira Mesa High School; Mira Mesa, Calif. |
Second Round Schedule
| Date | Game | Time/Result | Venue |
| May 14 | Jacksonville United FC (NPSL) at Orlando City U23s (PDL) | 4:30 p.m. ET | Seminole Soccer Complex; Sanford, Fla. |
| May 14 | New York Red Bulls U-23s (NPSL) / Vermont Voltage (PDL) winner at Pittsburgh Riverhounds (USL PRO) | 7 p.m. ET | Highmark Stadium; Pittsburgh, Pa. |
| May 14 | Greater Binghamton FC Thunder (NPSL) at Reading United A.C. (PDL) | 7 p.m. ET | Gurski Stadium; Reading, Pa. |
| May 14 | Richmond Kickers (USL PRO) at RVA FC (Richmond Virginia FC) (NPSL) | 7 p.m. ET | Sports Backers Stadium; Richmond, Va. |
| May 14 | Harrisburg City Islanders (USL PRO) at GPS Portland Phoenix (PDL) OR | 7 p.m. ET | Deering Memorial Field; Portland, Maine |
| May 14 | Harrisburg City Islanders (USL PRO) at FC Lehigh Valley United Sonic (NPSL) | 7:05 p.m. ET | Whitehall H.S. Soccer Stadium; Whitehall, Pa. |
| May 14 | Michigan Bucks (PDL) at Detroit City FC (NPSL) OR | 7 p.m. ET | Stevenson High School; Livonia, Mich. |
| May 14 | RWB Adria (USASA) at Michigan Bucks (PDL) | 7:30 p.m. ET | Ultimate Soccer Arenas; Pontiac, Mich. |
| May 14 | Wilmington Hammerheads (USL PRO) at Chattanooga FC (NPSL) | 7:30 p.m. ET | Finley Stadium; Chattanooga, Tenn. |
| May 14 | Brooklyn Italians SC (NPSL) at Jersey Express (PDL) | 8 p.m. ET | NJIT Soccer Stadium; Newark, N.J. |
| May 14 | Oklahoma City Energy FC (USL PRO) at Tulsa Athletics (NPSL) | 7:30 p.m. CT | Tulsa Athletics Stadium; Tulsa, Okla. |
| May 14 | Sacramento Republic (USL PRO) at Ventura County Fusion (PDL) | 7 p.m. PT | Ventura College; Ventura, Calif. |
| May 14 | CD Aguiluchos (NPSL) at Sacramento Republic (USL PRO) | 7:30 p.m. PT | Charles C. Hughes Stadium; Sacramento, Calif. |
| May 14 | PSA Elite (USASA) / LA Misioneros FC (PDL) winner at San Diego Flash (NPSL) OR | 7 p.m. PT | Mira Mesa High School; Mira Mesa, Calif. |
| May 14 | TBD (US Club Soccer) at PSA Elite (USASA) OR | 7:30 p.m. PT | Irvine Stadium; Irvine, Calif. |
| May 14 | TBD (US Club Soccer) vs. LA Misioneros FC (PDL) | TBD | TBD |
