2026 U.S. Open Cup Semifinals: Colorado Rapids and St. Louis CITY SC Pursuing First Open Cup Title | OneFootball

Two of the hottest teams in Major League Soccer’s Western Conference—the Colorado Rapids and St. Louis CITY SC—are set to face off at the foot of the Rockies on Wednesday evening in the second U.S. Open Cup Semifinal (9:30 p.m. ET / Paramount+, CBS Sports Network) in search of a first Open Cup crown. The two sides have caught fire since returning from the FIFA World Cup break, posting a combined 13W-3L-5D record. Notably, St. Louis is still riding a club-record record 16-match unbeaten run, while Colorado has lost only three matches since returning to action in July.

The Rapids snuck through the first two rounds, getting the better of a pair of recent lower-division champions. Colorado defeated USL League One power Union Omaha by one goal—courtesy of Dante Sealy’s first-half winner—before downing I-25 Derby rival and USL Championship contender Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC in a penalty kick shootout, 5-4. In the Quarterfinals, the Rapids cooled off the San Jose Earthquakes with a 2-0 victory, propelling the club to the Semifinals for the first time since finishing as runners-up in 1999.

St. Louis—only four seasons into its existence—is two wins away from becoming the seventh club from the city to win the Open Cup. CITY SC opened things up with a dominant 4-0 victory against USL Championship runners-up FC Tulsa in the Round of 32, extending its all-time record against lower-division sides to a perfect 3W-0L-0D. From there, CITY SC dispatched a pair of multi-time Open Cup champions in frenetic fashion, first extinguishing Chicago Fire FC through a pair of late goals before advancing past Houston Dynamo FC in a penalty kick shootout thanks to backup goalkeeper Ben Lundt’s late-game heroics.

Since their last Open Cup fixture, Colorado has been active in the transfer market, sending 18-year-old defender Lucas Herrington to Hull City for a club-record outbound transfer fee and trading Trinidad and Tobago international Dante Sealy back to CF Montréal. The Rapids have added experienced players Loïc Williams, Sayed Abu Farkhi and Youssef Maziz, while also sending leading scorer Rafael Navarro to St. Louis for $12 million in the largest cash-for-player trade package in MLS history. Navarro contributed two assists and a goal during Colorado’s Open Cup run but is cup-tied and unable to play for CITY SC this season. 

CITY SC has undergone quite the transformation over the past few months. The club has bid farewell to its three all-time leading scorers—trading João Klauss to the LA Galaxy, transferring Marcel Hartel to Hannover 96 and more recently trading Eduard Löwen to the San Jose Earthquakes. Despite this, St. Louis has retained its identity and flourished under first-year head coach Yoann Damet’s guidance, leaning on veteran leadership from captain Roman Bürki while allowing rising stars like Tomas Totland, Daniel Edelman, Chris Durkin and Simon Becher to find their footing. The club also added two new Designated Players in Carlo Holse and the aforementioned Rapids star, Rafael Navarro, rounding things out with the addition of U.S. Youth National Team talent Damion Downs on loan from Southampton FC.

Colorado and St. Louis have met on eight prior occasions, exclusively in MLS play. The all-time series is knotted up at 3W-3L-2D, though St. Louis has picked up a pair of 1-0 victories—home and away—against Colorado this season.

Though both sides are currently in position to advance to the MLS Cup Playoffs, the immediacy of a trophy is certainly top of mind. An Open Cup title for Colorado would represent the MLS original’s second trophy in club history and first since winning MLS Cup in 2010, while a championship for St. Louis would further underscore the city’s rich Open Cup history, simultaneously marking the club’s first trophy. The winner of Wednesday evening’s contest will travel to face either the Columbus Crew or Orlando City SC in the 2026 U.S. Open Cup Final on Oct. 21.