The 2024 U.S. Open Cup will see a drastically low number of clubs from Major League Soccer.
Only eight MLS clubs will take part in this season’s tournament, as well as 11 MLS Next Pro representatives, U.S. Soccer announced Friday. The MLS clubs participating in the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup, and their MLS Next Pro teams, were excluded from the selection process, per the federation’s announcement.
Defending tournament winners Houston Dynamo, Atlanta United, FC Dallas, Los Angeles FC, Real Salt Lake, San Jose Earthquakes, Seattle Sounders, and Sporting Kansas City were the MLS clubs selected for involvement.
MLS Next Pro debutants Carolina Core FC will also be involved in the competition.
A total of 96 teams in total will feature throughout the annual competition, which will begin in mid-March and conclude in late-September.
“First and foremost, I want to extend my sincere gratitude to all our members for their invaluable input over the past couple of months— sharing with us of the reasons the U.S. Open Cup is so great, and what we can do to make it even better,” said U.S. Soccer CEO JT Batson.
“After extensive discussions, we have put together a competitive format specific to the 2024 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, promising exciting matchups from the First Round and through the entire tournament,” he added. “U.S. Soccer values the tradition and importance of the U.S. Open Cup, and we will continue to have conversations with all our members to explore avenues for enhancing future editions of the tournament and how we all work together to grow soccer in every community in the country.”
The upcoming First Round (March 19-21) will mark the first time since 2008 that all 32 matchups will be exclusively between amateur and professional teams.
The Houston Dynamo defeated Inter Miami in the 2023 U.S. Open Cup Final
Here is a breakdown of the U.S. Open Cup schedule:
First Round Tuesday, March 19 – Thursday, March 21
Second Round Tuesday, April 2 – Wednesday, April 3
Third Round Tuesday, April 16 – Wednesday, April 17
Round of 32 Tuesday, May 7 – Wednesday, May 8
Round of 16 Tuesday, May 21 – Wednesday, May 22
Quarterfinal Tuesday, July 9 – Wednesday, July 10
Semifinal Tuesday, Aug. 27 – Wednesday, Aug. 28
Final Wednesday, Sept. 25
This was such a silly move by MLS. They could have just winked and nodded and played their backups and youth like they’ve done for the last couple years. Now they’ve taken a PR hit and are going to end up playing essentially the same rosters. I guess good for the Champions Cup squads but now their Next Pro teams don’t get the competitive experience.
dude, they have played the kids for decades now. i remember watching dynamo vs. dynamo (carolina) in 2006 and we had wells in net and it was one of cerritos’ last games, subbed on 3 reserves including a bench player named wondo, had to work past them 4-2.
i generally agree this was weak sauce and wondered if it was that it’s not apple televised, the fixture list will be busy plus copa america, and we seem more interested in leagues cup now. i don’t see the “play the kids” idea as helpful as you think because they are limited in reserve usage and the practical way the tournament plays out ever since they increased the bench salaries is by about the quarters it’s all or almost all MLS. so some chunk of the league will stay busy deep into the event every year.
i understand the minor league teams like to make an abstract point of beefing about the “fairness” of using reserves, but if we made it where MLS first teams competed but could use second team players, it would probably actually improve USL chances at upsets. yes, technically they are off-roster players, but if you force MLS to play roster guys then vast majority of the time you will lose. that being said, literally entering reserves or nothing was obnoxious.
Shameful from MLS. I’ll be rooting for a USL team to win this and go to the Concacaf Champions Cup.
so i assume this is the compromise, first teams play but fewer of them?
Go Vermont Green FC!!