The U.S. Open Cup, the country's oldest continuous sporting tournament, kicks off its 110th edition this week, with 10 MLS NEXT Pro teams starting their campaigns toward a domestic trophy.
Each MLS NEXT Pro team will be fighting to replicate an incredible run by NYCFC II in 2024, in which they carried the league flag all the way to the Round of 16.
Tuesday, March 18
Ventura County FC vs. Laguna United FC
Tuesday 10:30 p.m. | YouTube
Dignity Health Sports Park
Ventura County FC take on U.S. Open Cup debutant Laguna United FC, who will join MLS NEXT this fall. Ventura County is 1W-1L-0T in the new MLS NEXT Pro season, participating in two high-scoring matches including a 3-2 win over Tacoma Defiance.
Wednesday, March 19
Columbus Crew 2 vs. NY Renegades
Wednesday 6 p.m. | YouTube
Lower.com Field
Columbus Crew 2 seek their first win of 2025 in an Open Cup tilt against NY Renegades FC, who are playing in their first-ever Open Cup match.
Chattanooga FC vs. Corpus Christi FC
Wednesday 6:30 p.m. | YouTube
Finley Stadium
Chattanooga FC host USL League Two side Corpus Christi FC to begin Open Cup play. CFC are enjoying a strong early start to the 2025 season, with two wins in league play.
Inter Miami CF II vs. Miami United FC
Wednesday 7 p.m. ET | YouTube
Chase Stadium
Inter Miami CF II enter the U.S. Open Cup for the first time, taking on inter-city side Miami United FC of the UPSL.
Sporting KC II vs. Des Moines Menace
Wednesday 7:30 p.m. ET | YouTube
Swope Park
Des Moines Menace will welcome a host of big names back to the pitch for the 2025 U.S. Open Cup campaign, including Sporting KC great and former SKCII coach Benny Feilhaber along with Sacha Kljestan, Bradley Wright-Phillips, Dax McCarty, Ozzie Alonso, Matt Hedges, and Justin Meram.
We can only imagine the stories Kljestan, Wright-Phillips, and McCarty will bring when they return to the MLS Season Pass desk.
Real Monarchs vs. El Farolito
Wednesday 9 p.m. ET | YouTube
Zions Bank Stadium
Real Monarchs will host their first Open Cup match since 2015, taking on El Farolito, the NPSL side who earned a win over Timbers2 in last season's Open Cup first round.
LAFC2 vs. FC Arizona
Wednesday 10:30 p.m. ET | YouTube
Titan Stadium
Los Angeles Football Club 2 has enjoyed a positive start to MLS NEXT Pro play with four points through two games. They face FC Arizona of the NPSL in the first round of the U.S. Open Cup.
Thursday, March 20
Carolina Core FC vs. Soda City FC
Thursday 7:30 p.m. | YouTube
Truist Point
Columbia, South Carolina's Soda City FC of the UPSL heads up to North Carolina to take on Carolina Core FC. Core started their second MLS NEXT Pro season with a shootout win over Inter Miami II.
FC Cincinnati 2 vs. New York Pancyprian-Freedoms
Thursday 7:30 p.m. | YouTube
NKU Soccer Stadium
FC Cincinnati 2 will host the New York Pancyprian-Freedoms to start Open Cup play. The Pancyprian Freedoms are a Jamaica, Queens, New York-based amateur club that won the U.S. Amateur Cup in 2024.
Tacoma Defiance vs. Washington Athletic Club
Thursday 10 p.m. ET | YouTube
Starfire Sports Complex
Washington Athletic Club will make history as the first amateur team from Washington state in the modern area (post-1995) to play in the U.S. Open Cup tournament when they face the Tacoma Defiance, who are off to a 1W-1L-0T start in MLS NEXT Pro play.
