MLS will field eight teams in the US Open Cup along with 11 MLS Next Pro teams

American football and MLS announced Friday that eight of the 26 eligible MLS teams will participate in the 2024 Lamar Hunt Open USA Cup.

The federation and league jointly announced that this year’s edition of the single-elimination tournament will also feature 11 MLS Next Pro teams (including nine MLS reserve teams and two independent clubs), and full participation from the lower divisions within the Leagues. United Soccer League (USL). ) and the National Independent Football Association (NISA).

Eight of the nine US-based MLS teams participating in the CONCACAF Champions Cup will not play in the Open Cup, nor will their MLS Next Pro affiliates. of Houston Dynamo is the only exception and will play in the domestic tournament to defend their 2023 Open Cup title. The next seven highest-ranked teams from the 2023 MLS Supporters’ Shield standings will fill the remaining eight spots for MLS teams in the tournament. Nine of the remaining 10 US-based MLS teams will have their own MLS Next Pro teams competing. DC United is the only MLS team that has not participated in either the US Open Cup or the CONCACAF Champions Cup. DC has no MLS Next Pro team and finished 23rd in the 2023 Supporters’ Shield rankings.

US Soccer also announced it will make its “biggest investment ever in the tournament” with four new commercial partners and “increased financial incentives for participating teams, including significantly increased travel reimbursement.”

The change appears to be a direct response to calls from MLS leadership for US Soccer to do more to promote the tournament and cover some of the costs associated with the games. MLS commissioner Don Garber said last month that MLS will “support the U.S. Open Cup, but we’re not going to do it in a way that the entire responsibility for the operation of this tournament is on Major League Soccer. … At this point we’re subsidizing that tour.”

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MLS executive Nelson Rodriguez pointed to improved financial conditions as a significant improvement in this year’s edition of the tournament. He said economics for all tournament participants was critical, including greater incentives to host games and the federation covering travel reimbursements that would help amateur teams in the tournament.

“The tournament deserves to have standards befitting a championship,” Rodriguez said. “These standards can be applied to countries and fields and broadcast production. We believe that improving the economy was important for all teams. Simply put, no team should enter the US Open with a loss. (It) didn’t make sense to us; we did not think this was fair or appropriate. And the tournament would benefit from improved marketing and prize money.”

The first round of this year’s Open Cup will consist of 32 matches with 32 amateur clubs from the open division meeting 32 professional teams from Division III. 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 16 winners of the second round will then face 16 pro Division II teams from the USL Championship in the third round. The remaining eight USL Championship teams and eight MLS teams will then advance to the round of 32, along with the winners from the third round.

The eight USL Championship teams entering the Round of 32 include 2023 league champion Phoenix Rising FC and the next seven best teams from the 2023 rankings.

“First and foremost, I want to express my sincere gratitude to all of our members for their invaluable contributions over the past two months – sharing with us why the US Open Cup is so great and what we can do to make it even better,” US Soccer CEO JT Batson said in a statement. “US Soccer values ​​the tradition and importance of the US Open Cup and we will continue to have conversations with all of our members to explore ways to improve future editions of the tournament and how we all work together to grow football in every community in the country. .”

Rodriguez said MLS was satisfied with the 2024 format and would remain in discussions with US Soccer about the format of the tournament going forward, with the federation creating a task force focused on the Open Cup.

“It remains a great honor for Major League Soccer to participate in the tournament and it is a tournament appreciated by our clubs and the fans,” said Rodriguez. “And I’m pleased that US Soccer has been able to format the tournament in a way that is satisfactory.”

What does this mean for USL?

As the league’s system with the largest number of participants, the USL saw a crucial portion of its teams’ seasons held in limbo over the past few months. As MLS and US Soccer held talks on the tournament without the presence of the USL, some clubs were considering how they would participate in a modified tournament. However, all qualifying USL clubs will take part in the 2024 tournament – and are determined to, in the words of one source, “treat the tournament with the respect it deserves” by approaching it like any other year.

Currently, the winner of the US Open Cup automatically enters the following year’s CONCACAF Champions Cup; no doubt, this would be an incredible opportunity for a lower division club if they win the tournament.

“The USL has supported the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup for nearly 30 years and we are proud to be a part of it again in 2024,” USL President Paul McDonough said in a statement. “We applaud all USL clubs who have decided to participate in this year’s US Open Cup, despite being given the option to opt out. We appreciate and share the fans’ passion for our country’s most historic and authentic competition and look forward to watching the drama unfold during the tournament.”

What does this mean for MLS Next Pro?

This was a massive victory, in some ways, for the relatively new third division in American professional soccer. When MLS first announced it was withdrawing its first teams from the tournament, the goal was for every MLS Next Pro team to participate. That won’t be the case at this year’s tournament, but it was clear that a big priority for MLS was getting its MLS Next Pro teams into the competition.

MLS is investing millions of dollars in MLS Next Pro and will now take some of its knockout teams’ key games to a bigger stage.

“We felt very strongly that MLS Next Pro should have the right to participate in the tournament,” Rodriguez said. “Major League Soccer is investing heavily in developing talent, and we think the Open Cup is a perfect place for that talent to have meaningful games with consequences, games under the pressure of results, under the watchful eye of dedicated fans.” . So that was important to us.”

(Photo: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports)