8 MLS Teams Will Compete in the U.S. Open Cup

MLS announced today (March 1, 2024) that they send only eight MLS teams and 11 MLS NEXT Pro teams to the U.S. Cup Open.

The (8) MLS teams include:

Atlanta United FC
FC Dallas
Houston Dynamo FC
LAFC
Real Salt Lake
San Jose Earthquakes
Seattle Sounders FC
Sporting Kansas City

The (11) MLS NEXT Pro teams include:

Austin FC II
Carolina Core FC
Chattanooga FC
Chicago Fire II
Colorado Rapids 2
Crown Legacy (affiliated with Charlotte FC)
Minnesota United FC2
LA Galaxy II
New York City FC II
New York Red Bulls II
Portland Timbers 2

We wrote in December that it will only send MLS NEXT Pro teams but they’ve pivoted a bit.

The change came after pushback from the soccer nation including fans, journalists, and former players.

What is the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Format?

The 2024 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup will feature a total of 96 teams.

The first round will put the amateur teams against the pro teams which can make for exciting matches. It’s a David and Goliath scenario! This hasn’t happened since 2008.

All in all, there will be (8) Division I teams, (24) Division II teams, (32) Division III teams, and (32) open division teams will compete for the 2024 title.

The First Round of the 2024 U.S. Open Cup will consist of 32 games with 32 amateur clubs from the Open Division meeting 32 professional teams from Division III. The Open Division representatives include 11 Qualifying Round winners, 11 USL League Two teams, eight NPSL teams, the USASA National Amateur Cup champion and the UPSL Spring Champion. Division III representatives include 12 USL League One teams, nine NISA teams and 11 MLS Next Pro teams. The winners of the First Round will play each other in the Second Round of the tournament.

The winners of the Second Round will then be matched up against the 16 Division II professional teams from the USL Championship which will enter the competition in the Third Round. The remaining eight USL Championship teams and eight MLS teams will enter in the Round of 32, along with the winners from the Third Round. The eight USL Championship teams include 2023 league champion Phoenix Rising FC and the next seven best teams from 2023 standings enter Round of 32.

The MLS clubs participating in the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup, and their MLS Next Pro teams, were excluded from the selection process for the 2024 U.S. Open Cup, which was determined based on results in the 2023 MLS regular season. See below for the full list of participating teams.
Source: https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2024/03/format-and-teams-finalized-for-2024-lamar-hunt-us-open-cup#:~:text=CHICAGO%20(March%201%2C%202024),games%20from%20March%20to%20September.

The winner will receive $300,000. Not a bad payday.