Historic Tournament Continues in 2025 with a 96-Team Field and High-Stakes Showdowns
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The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, the oldest ongoing national soccer competition in the United States, has provided over a century of history, passion, and drama. Founded in 1913 as the National Challenge Cup, the tournament is open to professional and amateur clubs across the country, making it unique among American sports competitions.
Inspired by England’s FA Cup, the tournament was established by the United States Soccer Federation (then known as the United States Football Association). Brooklyn Field Club won the inaugural championship in 1914, setting the stage for a tradition of grassroots clubs challenging elite professional teams.
For much of its early history, immigrant-founded clubs dominated the competition, with teams such as Bethlehem Steel FC and Fall River Marksmen leading the way. However, as American soccer evolved, so did the tournament. The introduction of professional leagues, including Major League Soccer (MLS) in 1996, brought increased competition and visibility.
In 1999, the competition was renamed in honor of Lamar Hunt, a pioneer of American soccer who helped establish both the North American Soccer League (NASL) and MLS. Hunt was a passionate supporter of the tournament and owned multiple teams that won the cup, including the Dallas Burn (now FC Dallas) and Sporting Kansas City.
Over the years, the U.S. Open Cup has produced Cinderella stories, with lower-division teams occasionally defeating MLS clubs. Notable underdog runs include the Rochester Rhinos’ 1999 championship—making them the only non-MLS team to win the tournament since MLS’s inception—and FC Cincinnati’s deep run in 2017 while still a USL club.
2025 Tournament Structure
The 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup features a 96-team field, comprising both professional and amateur clubs. The tournament kicked off with the First Round from March 18-20, featuring 32 matches exclusively between amateur and professional teams.
The tournament progresses as follows:
First Round (March 18-20) 64 teams will be in action to advance to the second round
Second Round (April 1-2): The 32 First Round winners will compete in 16 matches.
Third Round (April 15-16): The 16 Second Round winners will face the top 16 seeded USL Championship teams, which enter the competition at this stage.
Round of 32 (May 6-7): The 16 Third Round winners will be joined by 16 MLS teams entering the tournament at this stage.
Subsequent Rounds: The competition continues with the Round of 16 (May 20-21), Quarterfinals (July 8-9), Semifinals (September 16-17), and culminates with the Final on October 1.
All matches are single-elimination, with games tied at the end of regulation proceeding to extra time and, if necessary, penalty shootouts to determine the winner.
The 2025 tournament continues the tradition of offering a platform for amateur teams to compete against professional clubs, maintaining the spirit of open competition that has defined the U.S. Open Cup for over a century.
As the sport grows in the U.S., the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup remains a testament to its rich history and enduring appeal.
Check back each day for more news and Results from the 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Tournament.
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(Have a story suggestion for the Premier Media Group and the National Soccer Network regarding club/youth soccer, high school varsity, amateur soccer, collegiate soccer or professional soccer involving teams, players or coaches with ties to a particular state or states, contact Web and Content Editor/Director of News Dan Stickradt via email at dstickradt@thepremiermediagrp.com and news@nationalsoccernetwork.com, or call 248-525-2349. Dan Stickradt is a 32-year veteran of the Michigan and national media circles and recently joined the staff full time at PMG in March of 2024. Want to schedule a broadcast game or live show, contact PMG/NSN Director of Broadcasting Jonathan Turner for availability and pricing at jonathan@thepremiermediagrp.com.)
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