COMMERCE CITY, Colo.- U.S. Soccer and MLS announced today that Colorado Rapids 2 will compete in the 2024 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The first round of the tournament will take place from March 19-21 and will feature 10 additional MLS NEXT Pro teams.
The 11 participating MLS NEXT Pro teams will include nine MLS affiliates and two independent clubs. The nine MLS-affiliated teams will compete in the tournament based on the 2023 MLS NEXT Pro final standings, other than those clubs whose MLS first teams are participating in either the 2024 U.S. Open Cup or 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup.
“We are very excited to have the opportunity to play in the 2024 edition of the U.S. Open Cup,” said Brian Crookham, Rapids 2 General Manager. “Playing in the country’s oldest competition not only gives us the chance to win an important trophy, but also the ability to provide our players with additional competitive opportunities against teams across the entire U.S. soccer landscape.”
Founded in 1913, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is the country’s oldest ongoing national soccer competition. The tournament is a single elimination knockout cup competition, which features approximately 100 clubs from the professional leagues sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation. The leagues included in the 2024 edition of the competition are Major League Soccer (MLS), MLS NEXT Pro, United Soccer League's (USL) Championship and League One divisions and the National Independent Soccer Association (NISA), as well as 32 amateur clubs who qualified for the tournament through their respective standings in leagues around the nation.
More information regarding the 2024 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup schedule, roster rules and hosting venues will be made available in the coming weeks.
