Qualification for the 2026 tournament included local qualifying matches contested by 145 amateur teams, fighting for 16 local qualifying slots, and will take place in 2025.[1]United Premier Soccer League has the highest representation with 66 teams entering the tournament. Three teams have already qualified, West Chester United SC by winning the 2025 National Amateur Cup, Tennessee Tempo FC by winning the 2025 United Premier Soccer League Spring Championships, and the 2025 John Motta Trophy Winner El Farolito SC, the Open Division Prize Winner from the 2025 tournament.[2]
Qualification procedure
Clubs based in the United States that play in a league that is an organization member of U.S. Soccer are generally eligible to compete for the U.S. Open Cup, so long as their league includes at least four teams and has a schedule of at least 10 matches for each club. To be eligible, teams must be members in good standing of their leagues on December 31, 2025, and remain so through the 2026 final. Any team that started its first season of competition in an existing league must have started its new league's schedule no later 30 days prior to the Open Division Entry Deadline.[3]
Starting in 2019, the winner of the previous year's National Amateur Cup automatically qualifies for the U.S. Open Cup.[4] The cup winner enters the tournament proper in the first round with the other local qualifiers. Beginning in 2024, the United Premier Soccer League Spring Champion also earned a direct entry into the first round proper of the tournament.[5] Starting in 2025, the Open-Division team that performed the best in the previous tournament are awarded the John Motta Trophy and granted direct access into the tournament proper.[6] These three teams along with the 16 local qualifiers account for 19 of the 32 amateur teams that qualify for the tournament proper in 2025. The other 13 teams come from the National Premier Soccer League and USL League Two. Four teams from National Premier Soccer League and nine teams from USL League Two qualify through national league pathways, which use previous summer season standings to determine teams that qualify.[2]
Amateur qualification
National Amateur Cup
West Chester United SC defeated RWB Adria 4–3 in extra time, to win the 2025 National Amateur Cup and qualify for the 2026 U.S. Open Cup.[7]
United Premier Soccer League Spring Champions
Tennessee Tempo FC defeated LA10 FC 1–0, to win the 2025 UPSL Spring Championships and earning a direct qualification into the 2026 U.S. Open Cup.[8]
John Motta Trophy winner
El Farolito SC advanced the furthest in the 2025 U.S. Open Cup, earning both the $50,000 bonus and the John Motta Trophy. Based on their performance in the previous tournament, El Farolito qualifies directly into the 2026 U.S. Open Cup.[6]
Local qualifying
U.S. Soccer originally announced that 146 teams would participate in local qualifying. Four rounds of local qualifying matches will result in 16 clubs advancing to the tournament proper. The teams will be organized into 16 regional pools prior to the qualifying round draw.[9]
Schedule
Schedule for 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Qualifying[9][1]
Round
Match day
New Teams
Entrants
Teams entered to date
First Qualifying Round
September 13 & 14
44
44
44
Second Qualifying Round
October 11 & 12
96
118
140
Third Qualifying Round
November 1 & 2
5
64
145
Fourth Qualifying Round
November 22 & 23
0
32
145
Number of teams by state and league
A total of 29 states and the District of Columbia are represented by clubs in the U.S. Open Cup Qualification this year.[2]
America CFL Spurs, Badgers FC, Bold City SC, City Soccer FC, Deportivo Lake Mary FC, Emerald FC Orlando, FC Kanks, Florida Futbol Club, Harbor City FC, Miami United FC, Palm Beach Flames SC, Parkland Travel Soccer Club, Stetson FA
4
Soccer Premier League
Atletico Miami Internacional FC, Boca Jrs Miami FC, Fort Myers City FC, River Miami FC
Apple Valley Storm, Ariana FC, Bay Area United FC, City SC San Diego, Eclipse Soccer Academy, FC Balboa, FC Folsom, Irvine FC, Laguna United FC, Rebels SC, San Diego Internacional, Valley 559 FC
States without a team in the Open Cup Qualification: Alabama, Alaska, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Louisiana, Maine, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
First Qualifying Round
The first qualifying round matches are scheduled for September 13 & 14, 2025. 101 clubs will get First qualifying Round Byes.[1]
Byes:210 FC, Akron City FC, Alexandria Reds, Aplle Valley Storm, Ariana FC, ASC New Stars, Atletico Boston, Atletico Buford FC, Atletico Miami Internacional FC, Azteca FC, Badgers FC, Ballard FC, Baltimore City F.C., Bay Area United FC, Bellevue Athletic FC, Boca Jrs Miami FC, BOHFS St. Louis, Bold City SC, Bootleggers AC, Briar United FC, Brockton FC United, Bulldogs SC, Capital City Islanders, CD Faialense, Central Park Rangers FC, CF San Rafael, Chicago House AC, City SC San Diego, City Soccer FC, Cleveland SC, Croatia Cleveland, Deportivo Lake Mary FC, Detroit Metro FC, DMV Elite FC, Dublin Celtic FC, Eagles Sports Southaven F.C., Emerald FC Orlando, FC America CFL Spurs, FC Balboa, FC Florida, FC Folsom, FC Kanks, FC Lonestar Gpse, FC Monmouth, FC Omens FCY New York, Florida Futbol Club, Fort Myers City FC, Greenville United Football Club, Grove United, Guerrilla FC, Harbor City FC, Harpos FC, Hurricane FC, International San Francisco, Iowa Demon Hawks, Ironbound SCP, Irvine FC, Kalonji Pro-Profile, Laguna United FC, Lansdowne Yonkers FC, Limeno Georgia, Master Joga, Metropolitan Oval Academyy, Miami Soccer Academy, Miami United FC, Mint Hill FC, MoCo 1776 FC, Next Level Soccer, North Georgia United, Oaklyn United FC, Olympians FC, Omaha Street FC, O’Shea’s FC, Osner’s FC, Palm Beach Flames SC, Parkland Travel Soccer Club, Pinellas County United Pelicans SC, Potros FC, Project Football, Real San Jose, Rebels SC, Red Force, River Miami FC, San Diego Internacional, San Ramon FC, SC Vistula Garfield, SCU Heat, Sharktopus Football Club, Steel City FC, Stetson FC, StrikerZ DFW Soccer Club, SVD Beaumont, Tennessee United Soccer Club, UDA Soccer, United SC, Valley 559 FC, Virginia Dream FC, Western Mass Pioneers, Woodland Football Club, Zum Schneider FC
