March 17 – The United States Soccer Federation (USSF) has announced the broadcast schedule for the opening two rounds of the 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, and they will air exclusively on its dedicated YouTube channel at youtube.com/ussoccer.
The first round of matches begins next week, highlighted by tiny Laguna United FC, a team mostly comprised of high school players, and one grizzled veteran taking on the might of the Los Angeles Galaxy II. The match will be played at Dignity Health Sports Park’s Track & Field Stadium in Carson, CA.
In all 32 matches will comprise the first round with amateur teams looking for giant killing upsets over the course of three days, March 18, 19, and 20. The winners will move to a 16-match 2nd round to be played over April 1 and 2 before the big boys parachute into the tournament.
This year’s edition of the oldest knockout cup in the US features 32 amateur clubs, facing 32 professional teams from Divisions II and III. The Open Division representatives include 14 Qualifying Round winners, nine USL League Two teams, seven NPSL teams, the USASA National Amateur Cup champion, and the UPSL Spring Champion. Division III representatives include 14 USL League One teams and ten MLS Next Pro clubs, who will be joined in the First Round by eight of the 24 participating teams from Division II’s USL Championship.
This is the 110th edition of the Open Cup, and since 1914 a champion has been crowned every year, bar the Covid-19 pandemic-interrupted seasons of 2020 and 2021.
These early rounds have traditionally caused shocks aplenty however, the amateur teams have struggled to make noise beyond the 3rd round with the exception being former USMNT great, Eric Wynalda, and his Cal FC team in 2012.
Their stunning run saw victories over the PDL Champions, Kitsap Pumas, the previously unbeaten Wilmington Hammerheads, and most famously, stunning the Portland Timbers 1-0 after extra-time, becoming the first amateur team to beat a Major League Soccer club without the need of penalties. Their historic run was ultimately ended by the Seattle Sounders.
LAFC are the current holders of the Open Cup, however, they will not be defending their title this year because of their involvement in the Leagues Cup, which is entering its 3rd year of competition.
Contact the writer of this story, Nick Webster, at moc.l1742220081labto1742220081ofdlr1742220081owedi1742220081sni@o1742220081fni1742220081