What is the US Open Cup and why does it maer for San Antonio FC?

Founded in 1913 the US Open Cup is the oldest compeon in American Soccer and as a result one of the most storied.

The US Open Cup is, as its name suggests, an open tournament. All club teams in the United States are eligible to enter one team into the competion. This means that the compeon pits teams across the different leagues and divisions in the country.

In 2023 the compeon features 99 teams, with amateur teams entering in the first round before being joined by the professional teams outside of Major League Soccer in the second. MLS teams join in the third round.

The compeon allows for lower division teams to step out on a big stage and upset their higher level opponents. 2022 saw that with USL Championship side Sacramento Republic FC making the final, losing to MLS side Orlando City.

There is an incenve to go as far as you can, the winners get $300,000 and the runners up get $100,000 while the sidethat finishes the highest from its division gets $25,000. While that may not be much money it’s not nothing and can cut some costs even for San Antonio FC.

Beyond the financial incentive the winner of the tournament will get a place in the CONCACAF Champions League, North America’s premier club soccer tournament. The US Open Cup is San Antonio FC’s only way to access that tournament.

Featuring teams from a 34 states, and DC, and ranging from MLS Champions LAFC to local Nashville team Beaman United the compeon has plenty of stories and room for upsets. A number 16 seed beang a number 1 seed? More like a number 99.

Cup compeons aren’t common in most other sports but are very common in soccer. England’s version, the FA Cup may be the most famous inthe world. Every club has a chance to play one of the best club in the country, even the clubs that just kick around in the local park.

San Antonio has been on both ends of upsets in its history in the compeon. In 2012 the San Antonio Scorpions stunnedMLS side Houston Dynamo at Heroes Stadium but went on to lose to USL side Charloe Eagles. One year later the Scorpions didn’t even make the MLS round, stunned by Premier Development League (now USL League 2) side FC Tucson in a shootout.

Perhaps San Antonio’s most famous cup night came last year when the city sought a measure of revenge over Ausn for usurping its place in MLS. It was a dramac match at a raucous Toyota Field with San Antonio FC winning in extra time to knock out their northern rivalsin emoonal scenes. Unfortunately the run ended there with SAFC falling to another Texan MLS side, the Dynamo, in the fourth round.

SAFC will start its US Open Cup run against Club de Lyon who play in NISA, a division below San Antonio. That match will beat Toyota Field on April 4th. The winner will advance to face another regional opponent, most likely one of the Texan MLS sides on April 25th or 26th.