Record 155 Open Division Clubs Enter 2027 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Qualifying Rounds, Additional 16 Automatically Qualify for Tournament Proper | OneFootball

FAYETTEVILLE, Ga. – U.S. Soccer today confirmed the 16 Open Division clubs that have received byes into the First Round of the 2027 edition of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, U.S. Soccer’s national club championship.

For the third consecutive year, the U.S. Open Cup will allocate 32 slots for amateur teams from the Open Division – 16 that advance through the Qualifying Rounds held this fall and 16 automatic qualifiers that receive byes directly into the Tournament Proper.

The automatic qualifiers are made up of various competition champions as well as designees from USL League Two (6), the National Premier Soccer League (2) and the United Premier Soccer League (1). The 2026 John Motta Trophy holder, awarded to the furthest-advancing amateur club from this year’s tournament, also receives a bye into the 2027 competition. Leagues whose champions qualified via other competitions received an additional slot to designate at their discretion.

The 2027 automatic qualifiers:

2027 QUALIFYING ROUNDS KICK OFF NEXT MONTH

The 16 clubs receiving byes will be joined in the Tournament Proper by 16 additional sides that fight through the Qualifying Rounds, which get underway next month and conclude in November. A record 155 clubs have entered Qualifying this year, with the First Qualifying Round draw and schedule set to be released next week.

OPEN DIVISION CLUBS FOR 2027 QUALIFYING ROUNDS (155 TEAMS):

American Premier League / USASA (1)

APSL / USASA (20)

Atlanta District Amateur Soccer League / USASA (1)

Austin Men’s Soccer Association / USASA (1)

Bay State Soccer League / USASA (3)

Colorado Premier League / USSSA (4)

Cosmopolitan Soccer League / USASA (1)

Dallas Soccer Alliance / USASA (2)

DC Premier League / USASA (1)

Houston Football Association / USASA (2)

Metroplex Premier League / USSSA (2)

Midwest Premier League / USASA (4)

Milwaukee Premier League / USASA (1)

Mountain Premier League / USASA (2)

NISA Nation / USASA (3)

North Coast Soccer League / USASA (1)

NPSL / USASA (4)

NPSL-RL / USASA (1)

Ohio Valley Premier League / US Club Soccer (1)

Premier Futbol League / USASA (2)

San Francisco Soccer Football League / USASA (3)

Seattle Recreational Adult Team Soccer / USSSA (1)

Southwest Premier League / USASA (7)

Sunshine Conference League / USSSA (1)

Super Soccer League / USASA (1)

The League for Clubs / USASA (11)

United States Soccer League / USSSA (2)

UPSL (63)

USL League Two (9)

2026 TOURNAMENT CONTINUES WITH NEXT MONTH’S SEMIFINALS

The 2026 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup returns after a multiple-month break with a Semifinal doubleheader on Sept. 16. In the first Semifinal, the 2002 Open Cup champion Columbus Crew will host 2022 champion Orlando City SC. Meanwhile, the second Semifinal will feature two teams vying for their first Open Cup title as the Colorado Rapids host St. Louis CITY SC. The winner of the Columbus-Orlando contest will host the Final, which will take place on Oct. 21. The doubleheader will begin in Columbus at 7 p.m. ET and conclude from Colorado at 9:30 p.m. ET. Both matches will air on CBS Sports Network and will be streamed live on Paramount+.