The Lamar Hunt US Open Cup is the top domestic cup competition in US soccer.

In addition to playing in MLS, the top teams in the USA compete each season in the US Open Cup, a knockout competition with a similar format to the main domestic cups in Europe.

Given that MLS has no promotion or relegation, the US Open Cup is the only chance for clubs outside the top division to play against the top teams in the country, which leads to plenty of upsets. 

None of the three Canadian MLS teams feature in the competition.

With the US Open Cup predating MLS by almost 80 years, let’s take a closer look at the competition’s history.

What	US Open Cup
Where	United States
When	March to September 2023
How to watch	TNT, Bleacher Report YouTube and app

When is the US Open Cup?

The US Open Cup began in March and it runs through to the final in September. Recent editions have seen around 100 teams take part, so it takes time to work through the rounds as the sides are whittled down to a final two.

The early rounds in the spring feature teams from the lower divisions, with the 26 US-based MLS sides joining in the third round or later, similar to the FA Cup in England.

From the first round through to the final, there are eight total rounds of the competition. 

Where is the US Open Cup played?

The US Open Cup is held at stadiums around the United States. The home side for each tie is decided during the draw for each round of the competition.

Unlike many major domestic cups in Europe, there are no neutral venues in the final stages of the US Open Cup. The draw decides who is the home side for each tie through to the final.

Given the size of the United States, rounds up to and including the round of 32 - the fourth round of the competition - see sides grouped geographically to cut the distance that away sides need to travel. 

Can I watch the US Open Cup?

Until last year, ESPN+ was the home of US Open Cup coverage. However, as part of an eight-year deal with Turner Sports which includes national team coverage they will take over as broadcasters for the competition.

The early rounds were broadcast on the Bleacher Report app and YouTube channel as part of the agreement. 

Further broadcast information will be available as the competition progresses. 

How many times has the US Open Cup taken place?

The US Open Cup was first held in 1913, months after the United States Soccer Federation was established.

The first competition was named the National Challenge Cup and just 40 teams took part. It began in November 1913 and the final took place in May the following year.

This season is the 109th US Open Cup campaign, with both the 2020 and 2021 editions cancelled by the USSF. 

Who has won the US Open Cup on the most occasions?

Given that the tournament is over 100 years old, the most successful sides don’t quite match up with the current state of MLS. The most successful teams in the history of the competition are Maccabee Los Angeles and Bethlehem Steel.

Maccabee Los Angeles shut down after losing the 1982 US Open Cup final, having won a joint-record fifth title in 1981. 

Meanwhile, Bethlehem Steel was the early dominant force in the competition, winning their five title by 1926, shutting down in 1930.

Three active MLS sides have won the competition four times. They are Chicago Fire, Seattle Sounders and Sporting Kansas City. 

The Fire has been waiting since 2006 for their fifth title, while Sporting Kansas City won the competition four times between 2004 and 2017.

Orlando City won the US Open Cup for the first time in its history in 2022, nine years after joining MLS.

Unsurprisingly, the dominant states are New York and California. New York sides have a combined 39 finals appearances, winning a record 26 times. Greek American AA - who last won the competition in 1967 - is the most successful New York side.

In recent years, the competition has become dominated by MLS sides. The last non-MLS team to lift the trophy was the Rochester Rhinos in 1999.