NINETY-FIVE AMATEUR TEAMS APPROVED FOR 2019 LAMAR HUNT U.S. OPEN CUP QUALIFYING

CHICAGO (Aug. 22, 2018) – Ninety-five amateur teams will enter qualifying for the 2019 edition of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup – U.S. Soccer’s National Championship.

Nearly all of the entrants will see action in the first qualifying round, set for Sept. 22-23, with the match-ups to be announced by U.S. Soccer the final week of August. The history-filled, annual tournament, entering its 106th year, is the only high-profile event in American team sports where amateur sides have the opportunity, should they advance far enough, to face professionals in meaningful national competition.

Several amateur clubs with notable pedigrees have thrown their hat into the ring for 2019, including Cal FC, who knocked out the Division I Portland Timbers in extra-time in 2012; Christos FC, whose sudden legion of fans helped fill the Maryland SoccerPlex and saw their team go ahead of D.C. United in 2017; three-time Open Cup champion New York Pancyprian Freedoms (‘80, 82 and ‘83); and NTX Rayados, who held the 2018 finalist Houston Dynamo scoreless for the opening 55 minutes of their Fourth Round encounter earlier this year.

Open Division Local Qualifying – as this portion of the competition is called – is conducted on a single-game, knockout basis. Match-ups are determined geographically to minimize travel time and expense, with random selection used when practicable to determine opponent pairings. Home teams are determined by coin flip. The pairings for the second (Oct. 20-21), third (Nov. 17-18), fourth (March 9-10, 2019) and fifth (April 6-7, 2019) qualifying rounds, if needed, will be determined and announced after each preceding round of games has taken place. The survivors will advance to the First Round of the 2019 Open Cup next May.

The first round of 2019 Local Qualifying takes place the weekend prior to the 2018 Open Cup Final between the Houston Dynamo and two-time finalist Philadelphia Union (Sept. 26 at 8 p.m. ET; ESPN2, UDN), with both clubs set to become a first-time winner of U.S. Soccer’s National Championship.

Beyond the amateur teams in local qualifying, Bavarian SC (Glendale, Wis.), by virtue of winning the 2018 U.S. Adult Soccer Association National Amateur Cup earlier this month, has been awarded a direct slot into the first round of next year’s Open Cup and will not have to compete in local qualifying. The provision to automatically advance the Amateur Cup champion to the Open Cup proper is new for 2019.

In other Open Cup news, both the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) and Premier Development League (PDL) have opted to use the Open Division National Leagues track for qualifying. This allows the two nationwide amateur leagues to use 2018 league results to determine their clubs that advance to the Open Cup First Round in 2019, and bypass the local qualifying process.

The number of 2019 Open Cup first round berths awarded to the various Open Division qualifying pools (i.e. local qualifiers, NPSL, PDL) will be announced at a later date.

2019 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
Open Division Local Qualifying Schedule

First Qualifying Round: Sept. 22-23
Second Qualifying Round: Oct. 20-21
Third Qualifying Round: Nov. 17-18
Fourth Qualifying Round: March 9-10, 2019
Fifth Qualifying Round: April 6-7, 2019

2019 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup 
Open Division Teams Entering via the Local Qualifying Track
Listed by State and League (Sanctioning Body) Affiliation

Arizona (1 team) 
United Premier Soccer League (U.S. Adult Soccer Assn.)
Sporting AZ FC*; Scottsdale, Ariz.

California (24) 
LIGA NorCal (US Club Soccer) 
Academica Soccer Club; Turlock, Calif.
Contra Costa FC; Walnut Creek, Calif.
Davis Legacy; Davis, Calif.

San Francisco Soccer Football League (Calif. Soccer Assn.-North/USASA) 
Oakland FC Leopards; Lafayette, Calif.

SoCal Premier League (Calif. State Soccer Assn.-South/USASA)
Buena Park FC; La Palma, Calif.
CaliGators FC; Lake Forest, Calif.
Chula Vista FC; Spring Valley, Calif.
L.A. South Bay Monsters FC; San Pedro, Calif.
Outbreak FC; Long Beach, Calif.
Quickening; Lancaster, Calif.
Real Sociedad Royals; Bellflower, Calif.
SC Trojans FC; Los Angeles, Calif.

United Premier Soccer League (U.S. Adult Soccer Assn.)
Cal FC; Thousand Oaks, Calif.
California United FC II; Irvine, Calif.
JASA RWC; Redwood City, Calif.
Lionside FC; Redondo Beach, Calif.
L.A. Wolves FC*; Bell Gardens, Calif.
Napa Sporting SC; Napa, Calif.
Oakland Stompers; Oakland, Calif.
Real San Jose; San Jose, Calif.
San Nicolás FC; Los Angeles, Calif.
San Ramon Dynamos FC; San Ramon, Calif.
Santa Ana Winds FC*; Lake Forest, Calif.
Valley United SC; North Hills, Calif.

Colorado (8) 
Colorado Premier League (U.S. Specialty Sports Assn.)
Club El Azul; Broomfield, Colo.
Colorado Rovers; Broomfield, Colo.
FC Denver*; Aurora, Colo.
Harpo’s FC; Commerce City, Colo.
Northern Colorado FC; Fort Collins, Colo.

United Premier Soccer League (U.S. Adult Soccer Assn.)
Colorado Rush; Highlands Ranch, Colo.
Gam United FC; Aurora, Colo.
Indios Denver FC; Englewood, Colo.

Connecticut (1) 
Connecticut Soccer League (Conn. State Soccer Assn./USASA) 
Newtown Pride FC; Newtown, Conn.

District of Columbia (1) 
District Sports Premier League (Metro D.C-Virginia Soccer Assn./USASA) 
DC Cheddar; Washington, D.C.

Florida (11) 
American Premier Soccer League (Florida State Soccer Assn./USASA) 
FC Kendall*; Miami, Fla.
Red Force FC*; Miami, Fla.

Central Florida Soccer League (Florida State Soccer Assn./USASA) 
Central Florida FC Spartans; St. Cloud, Fla.
Orlando FC Wolves; Altamonte Springs, Fla.

Sun Cup (U.S. Specialty Sports Assn.)
Naples United FC 2; Naples, Fla.

United Premier Soccer League (U.S. Adult Soccer Assn.)
ASC America Soccer Club; Jacksonville, Fla.
Deportivo Lake Mary; Lake Mary, Fla.
Florida Soccer Soldiers; Hialeah, Fla.
Hurricane FC; Delray Beach, Fla.
Miami Sun FC; Miami, Fla.
Sporting Orlando Soccer Club; Orlando, Fla.

Georgia (1) 
Atlanta District Amateur Soccer League (Georgia State Soccer Assn./USASA) 
Shahin Atlanta FC; Marietta, Ga.

Idaho (1) 
United Premier Soccer League (U.S. Adult Soccer Assn.)
Boise FC Cutthroats; Boise, Idaho

Illinois (1) 
United Premier Soccer League (U.S. Adult Soccer Assn.)
Aurora Borealis Soccer Club; North Aurora, Ill.

Louisiana (1) 
Gulf Coast Premier League (Louisiana Soccer Assn./USASA) 
Motagua New Orleans; New Orleans, La.

Maryland (7) 
Maryland Major Soccer League (Md. State Soccer Assn./USASA) 
Christos FC*; Elkridge, Md.
Izee Auto FC; Columbia, Md.
Rockville Soccer Club; Rockville, Md.
Steel Pulse FC; Windsor Mill, Md.
Super Delegates Football Club; Laurel, Md.
World Class Premier Elite FC; Boyds, Md.

Washington Premier League (Md. State Soccer Assn./USASA)
Aegean Hawks FC; Boyds, Md.

Massachusetts (8) 
Bay State Soccer League (Mass. Adult State Soccer Assn./USASA) 
Boston City FC II; Malden, Mass.
Boston Siege FC; Revere, Mass.
Global Premier Soccer (GPS) Omens; Boston, Mass.
Kendall Wanderers*; Cambridge, Mass.
Southie FC; Roxbury, Mass.

United Premier Soccer League (U.S. Adult Soccer Assn.)
Juve-Pro Soccer; Stoughton, Mass.
Mass United FC; Sommerville, Mass.
Safira FC; Sommerville, Mass.

Michigan (2) 
Ann Arbor Premier Development League (Michigan Soccer Association/USASA) 
Ann Arbor FC; Ann Arbor, Mich.

Michigan Premier Soccer League (Michigan Soccer Association/USASA) 
Livonia City FC; Livonia, Mich.

Minnesota (1) 
Minnesota Amateur Soccer League (Minnesota Soccer Assn./USASA) 
FC Minnesota; Blaine, Minn.

Mississippi (1) 
Gulf Coast Premier League (Louisiana Soccer Assn./USASA) 
Port City FC; Gulfport, Miss.

Missouri (1) 
United Premier Soccer League (U.S. Adult Soccer Assn.)
FC Maritsa; St. Louis, Mo.

Nevada (1) 
United Premier Soccer League (U.S. Adult Soccer Assn.)
Nevada Coyotes FC; Carson City, Nev.

New Jersey (1) 
Garden State Soccer League (New Jersey Soccer Assn./USASA) 
Jackson Lions FC; Jackson, N.J.

New York (3) 
Cosmopolitan Soccer League (Eastern New Youth State Soccer Assn./USASA) 
Lansdowne Bhoys FC*; Yonkers, N.Y.
New York Pancyprian Freedoms^; Jamaica, N.Y.
Rochester District Soccer League (Western New Youth Soccer Assn./USASA)
Rochester River Dogz*; Spencerport, N.Y.

North Carolina (1) 
United Premier Soccer League (U.S. Adult Soccer Assn.)
FC Cardinals; Winston-Salem, N.C.

Oregon (1) 
Oregon Premier Soccer League (Oregon Adult Soccer Assn./USASA) 
International Portland Select (IPS)/Marathon Taverna; Portland, Ore.

Pennsylvania (5) 
Greater Pittsburgh Soccer League (Pa. West Soccer Assn./USASA) 
Tartan Devils Oak Avalon; Pittsburgh, Pa.

United Soccer League of Pennsylvania (Eastern Pa. Soccer Assn./USASA) 
Ukrainian Nationals; North Wales, Pa.
United German Hungarians; Oakford, Pa.
Vereinigung Erzgebirge; Warminster, Pa.
West Chester United; West Chester, Pa.

South Carolina (1) 
Central League (South Carolina Amateur Soccer Assn./USASA) 
Soda City FC Sorinex; Lexington, S.C.

Texas (7) 
Austin Men’s Soccer Association (U.S. Specialty Sports Assn.) 
Celtic Cowboys Premier; Austin, Texas
North Texas Premier Soccer Association (North Texas Soccer Assn./USASA)
Leon FC; Dallas, Texas
NTX Rayados*; Dallas, Texas

United Premier Soccer League (U.S. Adult Soccer Assn.)
Bay Area Oiler FC; Houston, Texas
Dallas Elite FC; Plano, Texas
San Antonio Runners; San Antonio, Texas
Southwest FC; El Paso, Texas

Utah (1) 
United Premier Soccer League (U.S. Adult Soccer Assn.)
San Juan FC; Draper, Utah

Virginia (4) 
Soccer Organization of the Charlottesville Area (Metro D.C-Virginia Soccer Assn./USASA) 
Cville Alliance FC Reserves; Charlottesville, Va.
Tigres FC; Crozet, Va.

Woodbridge Soccer League (Asociacion Nacional Fútbol en USA/U.S. Soccer)
Centro America FC; Woodbridge, Va.
Virginia United; Woodbridge, Va.

* Advanced to 2018 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
^ Three-time U.S. Open Cup Champion (1980, 1982-83)

Facts and Figures of Open Division Teams Entering via the Local Qualifying Track:

• 29 different leagues represented (including six new leagues added this year)
• 25 different states plus the District of Columbia represented (four new states added this year: Missouri, North Carolina, Utah and Virginia; Washington, D.C., is also new to qualifying)
• 24 teams entering from California alone
• 11 teams from Florida
• 8 teams from Colorado and Massachusetts
• 7 teams each from Maryland and Texas
• 5 teams from Pennsylvania
• 4 teams from Virginia
• 3 teams from New York
• 2 teams from Michigan
• 1 team each from Arizona, Connecticut, the District of Columbia, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Louisiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, South Carolina and Utah
• 48 teams are veterans of Open Division local qualifying, having participated in at least one of the three previous competitions
• 24 teams have participated in all three previous years of Open Division local qualifying
• 47 teams are entering Open Division local qualifying for the first time
• 83 teams are from U.S. Adult Soccer Association-affiliated leagues
• 7 teams are from U.S. Specialty Sports Association-affiliated leagues
• 3 teams are from US Club Soccer-affiliated leagues
• 2 teams are from Asociacion Nacional Fútbol en USA-affiliated leagues
• 11 teams entering 2019 Open Division local qualifying reached the 2018 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup first round; four of these reached the second round; two of these reached the third round
• NTX Rayados (Dallas, Texas) advanced to the 2018 Open Cup fourth round where they battled MLS mainstay Houston Dynamo, holding the possible 2018 Open Cup champion scoreless through 55 minutes and not allowing a second goal until midway through the second half
• New York Pancyprian Freedoms are a three-time U.S. Open Cup Champion (1980, 1982-83)

About the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup 
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup – U.S. Soccer’s National Championship – has crowned a champion annually since 1914. The tournament is conducted on a single-game, knockout basis and open to all professional and amateur teams affiliated with U.S. Soccer. In 1999, the competition was renamed to honor United States soccer pioneer Lamar Hunt.

ussoccer.com is the official website of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. There fans and media will be able to stream many of the games of the 2019 competition in addition to enjoying comprehensive video and written coverage of the tournament. Follow the Open Cup on Twitter and Instagram @OpenCup and Facebook @OfficialOpenCup.

The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is the oldest ongoing national soccer competition in the United States and the world’s third-longest-running open soccer tournament.