For the first time in the club’s Major League Soccer history, Nashville SC is playing in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
The nationwide tournament is back following a two-year hiatus. Nashville SC has advanced to the Quarterfinals of the competition after beating Atlanta United 3-2 in the Round of 32 and USL Championship side Louisville City FC 2-1 in the Round of 16.
Here’s everything you need to know about the competition:
What is the U.S. Open Cup?
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is a national cup competition open to all amateur and professional teams in the United States. Dating back to 1913, it is the oldest current national cup competition in United States soccer and is among the oldest in the world. Up until its pause in 2020, it was one of the oldest continuously operating cup competitions in the entire world.
How does the U.S Open Cup work?
Clubs enter the U.S. Open Cup at different stages of the competition based on their place in the U.S. Soccer pyramid.
The First Round took place in March and consisted of clubs from lowest division leagues such as the National Premier Soccer League, USL League Two and Open Division amateur qualifiers from local competitions. Clubs from the remaining lower tiers, including the USL Championship, MLS NEXT Pro and USL League One, entered in the second round.
The first batch of MLS clubs entered in the Third Round. Seventeen clubs entered in the Third Round, which took place in late April. The remaining eight clubs, including Nashville SC, enter in the Round of 32 this week. Those eight clubs are comprised of the four USA-based entrants to the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League and the next two best American regular-season finishers in the Eastern and Western Conferences.
How can I watch Nashville SC’s first match in the U.S. Open Cup?
All U.S. Open Cup matches will be streamed on ESPN+. Even if you are normally blacked out on ESPN+ due to local broadcast restrictions, you will be able to stream this match on ESPN+.
When does Nashville SC play again in the U.S. Open Cup?
Nashville SC will face Orlando City SC in the quarterfinals after advancing past Louisville. The quarterfinal match will take place on June 29 at Exploria Stadium in Orlando.
