Full Breakdown
Reviving the U.S. Open Cup: Stakes, League Moves, and Future Paths
8/22/2026, 9:20:03 PM
The Open Cup’s Role and Recent Decline
The U.S. Open Cup, founded in 1913, remains the nation’s oldest soccer tournament and the only U.S. competition that pits amateur clubs against professional teams from MLS and USL. After a record 71 professional entrants in 2023, participation has slipped. In the 2025 edition, only 16 of MLS’s 27 U.S.-based clubs entered, while in 2026 just 17 of USL Championship’s 24 teams took part. The reduction follows MLS’s decision at the end of 2023 to withdraw its teams, a move that sparked backlash and led to a limited compromise.
League Participation and Qualification Issues
MLS’s recent qualification method has been described as a “consolation prize,” with clubs entering after Leagues Cup and CONCACAF Champions Cup slots are allocated, rather than based on merit. Consequently, recent champions Los Angeles FC and Nashville SC have been unable to defend the trophy, and Lionel Messi has not competed in the Open Cup during his MLS tenure. USL argues that a merit-based qualification system—rewarding performance in the prior season—would increase “jeopardy” and give clubs more to play for throughout the year.
USL’s Structural Changes and Promotion-Relegation Plans
USL president and CEO Paul McDonough outlined a three-tier professional pyramid slated for 2028, adding a new “Premier” league at the Division I level alongside MLS. The Premier league is intended to complete the men’s professional structure and lay the groundwork for promotion and relegation across USL’s divisions. McDonough said the system would create “more meaningful competition” and provide USL clubs a clear pathway to the Open Cup and, ultimately, CONCACAF continental competition.
Official Statements & Responses
US Soccer, after assuming marketing control from Soccer United Marketing in 2023, highlighted the Open Cup’s historic value and its potential to deliver “under-dog drama” akin to the World Cup knockout stage. McDonough reiterated USL’s commitment to the tournament, noting that winning the Open Cup grants a spot in the CONCACAF competition, a goal “every club can aspire to.”
Verbatim Quote
- “We think the Open Cup is an important part of the fabric of soccer in this country, and we’ve always been committed to supporting it,” — Paul McDonough “We think the Open Cup is an important part of the fabric of soccer in this country, and we’ve always been committed to supporting it,” — Paul McDonough
