About the U.S. Open Cup
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is the oldest ongoing national soccer competition in the U.S. The 2026 edition will be contested by multiple clubs from professional and amateur leagues. The overall champion earns a total of $600,000 in prize money, while the runner-up receives $250,000, and the furthest-advancing team from each division receives $50,000 along with the newly-established John Motta Trophy. In addition, the tournament winner qualifies for the group stage of the CONCACAF Champions Cup.
The U.S. Soccer Federation released on July 8, 2025 this article, which outlines the removal of the “National League” track in which the NPSL was part of for tournament qualification. Now, the entire Open Division (any team outside of USSF Professional League Standards) enters the tournament’s Qualifying Rounds.
In place of the National League qualifying track, the U.S. Open Cup will now allocate byes into the Tournament Proper to high-performing teams from select competitions. For the 2026 tournament, the NPSL received 4 byes into the Tournament Proper.
In addition to those 4 byes, El Farolito has earned a bye into the Tournament Proper as the 2025 Hank Steinbracher Cup winners.
Note: West Chester United SC would have earned one of the NPSL’s 4 byes into the Tournament Proper, however they instead qualified into the Tournament Proper as winners of the 2025 USASA National Amateur Cup, in which they were a participant of the United Soccer League of Pennsylvania. They are listed on this page for visibility as a member of the NPSL.
American Soccer Club New York
Cleveland SC
Cruizers FC
DMV Elite FC
El Farolito
FC Florida
Flower City Union
Greenville United
Grove United
Iowa Demon Hawks
Michigan Rangers FC
OSNER’S FC
Philadelphia Ukrainian Nationals
Real San Jose
Ristozi FC
Teams entered into First Round: 5+1
First Round Results
Detroit City FC (USLC) 5-1 Michigan Rangers FC
West Chester United SC* 1-2 Loudoun United FC (USLC)
*NPSL member participating via United Soccer League of Pennsylvania
New Mexico United (USLC) 3-2 Cruizers FC
Sacramento Republic FC (USLC) 2-0 El Farolito
Charlotte Independence (USL1) 4-1 Ristozi FC
Lexington SC (USLC) 9-0 Flower City Union
Teams qualified for Third Qualifying Round: 3
Third Qualifying Round Results
Briar United FC (5) 1-1 (4) Grove United
Teams entered into Second Qualifying Round: 8
Second Qualifying Round Results
Cleveland SC 0-2 Akron City FC (USL2)
Guerrilla FC (DC Premier League) (4) 1-1 (2) DMV Elite FC
O’Shea’s FC (USSSA) 2-1 FC Florida
Briar United FC (UPSL) 2-1 Greenville United
Grove United 4-2 Alexandria Reds (UPSL)
Omaha Street (UPSL) 1-0 Iowa Demon Hawks
Zum Schneider FC (America Premier) 7-3 Osner’s FC
Valley 559 FC (UPSL) 2-1 Real San Jose
Teams entered into First Qualifying Round: 2
First Qualifying Round Results
Philadelphia Ukrainian Nationals 0-3 Colonial SC (United Soccer League of PA)
NY Renegades FC (UPSL) 2-1 American Soccer Club New York