The 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup kicks off on Tuesday night with eight teams from the USL Championship entering the 110th edition of the tournament in the First Round.

While the Open Cup has become a place for Championship clubs to make a name for themselves by upsetting clubs from Major League Soccer – see Indy Eleven’s run to the Semifinals a season ago – at this point the tables are turned to where the Championship clubs are the ones at risk of a Cupset.

Ahead of the action on Tuesday and Wednesday night, here’s a look at the eight amateur sides hoping to make their mark on this year’s Open Cup, and the outlook for each of the USL Championship clubs as they seek safe passage to the Second Round.

Hartford Athletic – vs. New York Shockers
Affiliation – National Premier Soccer League
Schedule – Tuesday, 6:30 p.m. ET, Trinity Health Stadium

The Shockers qualified for the Open Cup for the first time in their four-season history as they finished top of the North Atlantic Conference in the 2024 NPSL regular season before advancing to the Regional Finals before being eliminated by FC Motown.

The side has reached the NPSL Playoffs in each of its first four seasons, with last year being its deepest postseason run as Filippo Bellu earned the Conference MVP award.

Outlook

Drawn at home, Hartford Athletic will be aiming to produce a little more Open Cup magic than it has in the past. Since notching the club’s first victory all-time in the tournament against the New York Cosmos B in 2019, however, Athletic has defeated each of the amateur opponents it has squared off with in the Open Cup. After last year’s elimination in its opening game by New York City FC II, the side will be eager to wipe that memory away and get its new season into full swing.

Miami FC – vs. Naples United FC
Affiliation – National Premier Soccer League
Schedule – Tuesday, 7 p.m. ET, FIU Soccer Stadium

Naples United FC is a first-time qualifier for the Open Cup, having finished on top of the NPSL’s Gulf Coast Sunshine Conference, but the side was bumped out of the postseason in the South Region Semifinals after receiving a bye through the first round.

Naples United has been a consistent presence in the postseason in recent years, though, and has a slight familiarity with Miami FC after the two teams shared the same division during MFC’s stint in the NPSL before rejoining the professional ranks in the Championship in 2020.

Outlook

Miami FC has typically been able to see off amateur opposition in the Open Cup since joining the USL Championship – it defeated Miami United and Jacksonville Armada U-23 in 2022 and 2023 – but last year was eliminated at the first hurdle by USL League One club South Georgia Tormenta FC, a portent of the season that was to come.

With Miami having suffered defeats in each of its first two league outings this season, it needs to step up and ensure its strong prior record against amateur opposition remains intact. There was improvement in the side’s second-half display against Indy Eleven, and that’s going to be needed to avoid a Cupset.

Loudoun United FC – at West Chester United SC

Affiliation – Local Qualifier (USASA)
Schedule – Tuesday, 7:30 p.m. ET, YSC Sports; Wayne, Pa.

West Chester United is one of the best-known – and largest – amateur soccer clubs in the northeast, fielding teams in USL League Two and the NPSL, but this year its path to the Open Cup came through regional qualifying. West Chester took a 2-1 victory against Vereinigung Erzgebirge last November to continue its streak of Open Cup appearances that dates to 2019.

Having finished in the top three of League Two’s Mid Atlantic Division each of the past four seasons – including earning top spot in 2021 – the side led by Coach Blaise Santangelo is looking for a berth in the Second Round of the tournament for the first time since 2019.

Outlook

Loudoun United has made a flying start to the 2025 USL Championship season with two wins from two games and has shown a solid pedigree in the Open Cup since it became an independent club in 2023. United has advanced to face opposition from Major League Soccer in each of its first two forays into the tournament – falling to eventual title-winner Los Angeles FC in the Round of 16 last year – and has yet to lose to a side in a lower division.

It will be interesting to see how Head Coach Ryan Martin potentially rotates his squad for a trip to Pennsylvania, but Loudoun is unlikely to take West Chester lightly and make sure it maintains a strong Open Cup record.

FC Tulsa – at Tulsa Athletic
Affiliation – Local Qualifier (UPSL)
Schedule – Tuesday, 8:30 p.m. ET, Athletic Community Stadium

Tulsa Athletic has become a fixture in the early rounds of the Open Cup this decade, advancing to the main draw for the fourth consecutive time after defeating Chicago House AC in regional qualifying.

A season ago, the First Round was where the side’s journey came to an end in defeat to former League One club Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC, but two seasons ago Athletic showed what it could be capable of when it upset the Championship’s FC Tulsa on home turf. Tuesday’s crosstown clash will mark their first official meeting since then.

Outlook

The current leadership at FC Tulsa weren’t in place when the club suffered defeat to Tulsa Athletic two years ago, but that result should mean there’s no complacency when it comes to making sure the Championship side advances this time. Having reached the Round of 16 before being eliminated a year ago by eventual Open Cup Finalist Sporting Kansas City, Head Coach Luke Spencer’s side will look to build on its two victories in league play to start the current campaign.

Lexington SC – vs. Southern Indiana FC
Affiliation – Local Qualifier (UPSL)
Schedule – Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. ET, Lexington SC Stadium

Based in New Albany, Ind., Southern Indiana FC advanced to the Open Cup at the first time of asking after entering the United Premier Soccer League in the fall last year. SIFC advanced through three rounds of local qualifying to book its place in the main draw, taking a 3-0 victory against Dalton United of Georgia in the final qualifying round, and now will be aiming to make a splash in its first meeting with professional opposition.

Outlook

Almost everything has changed at Lexington SC this offseason as it has moved into the USL Championship, but there are still enough people around that remember last year’s elimination on the road against USL League Two side Vermont Green FC that will mean the side shouldn’t get complacent.

Lexington should be helped this time by getting a home draw. With four points from its opening two games in the Championship, the team has made a positive start to life under Head Coach Terry Boss. Maintaining that is going to be important here to secure safe passage to the Second Round.

Birmingham Legion FC – at Little Rock Rangers

Affiliation – USL League Two
Schedule – Wednesday, 8 p.m. ET, Wildcat Stadium; Little Rock, Ark.

Having joined USL League Two in recent years, the Little Rock Rangers had the best season in club history last summer to finish on top of the Mid South Division for the first time and secure the club’s first trip to the Open Cup since 2019. The Rangers have seen some notable names come through their ranks over the years, and after consecutive postseason berths will be aiming for a first win in the Open Cup in club history after its last entry saw it fall in a penalty shootout to fellow amateur side NTX Rayados.

Outlook

Birmingham Legion has earned its fair share of success in the Open Cup, including advancing to the Quarterfinals two years ago before a narrow defeat to Inter Miami CF before a club-record crowd at Protective Stadium. That’s included a pair of victories in its two encounters with amateur opposition in the tournament, most recently a 2-1 win against Southern States Soccer Club in 2022.

Legion has made a habit of making life more interesting at times than it might have needed to be in the early rounds, however. It needed a penalty shootout to eliminate Chattanooga FC in 2023 and extra time before eliminating League One’s Chattanooga Red Wolves SC last year. After taking one point from its first two games this season, it will need to be on the ball to ensure it advances on the road.

El Paso Locomotive FC – vs. Harpos FC
Affiliation – Local Qualifier (Colo.)
Schedule – Wednesday, 9 p.m. ET, Southwest University Park

Denver-based Harpos FC became a cult U.S. Open Cup story when they first qualified for the tournament a decade ago, advancing to the Second Round before being eliminated by Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC. After suffering the same fate in 2016, the club side took its time in returning to the main draw, but did so last fall as it defeated Azteca FC 2-0 in the final round of regional qualifying.

Outlook

The narrative for El Paso Locomotive FC has been the same for a while now – when are Locomotive going to win their first Open Cup game? El Paso has fallen at the first hurdle in each edition of the tournament it has participated in, last year getting knocked out by USL League One title-winner Union Omaha in a penalty shootout.

If there’s good news for Locomotive, this matchup offers the best chances they’ve had to finally get that elusive win. In each of the prior outings, they’ve squared off with League One opposition. This, then, marks the first official game against an amateur side in El Paso’s history, and its an opportunity on home turf that Head Coach Wilmer Cabrera and his side need to take advantage of.

Monterey Bay FC – vs. International San Francisco
Affiliation – Local Qualifier (Calif.)
Schedule – Wednesday, 10 p.m. ET, Cardinale Stadium

International San Francisco makes its return to the Open Cup after previously debuting in the tournament in 2023, earning its spot after a 5-4 victory after extra time in the final round of regional qualifying against Valley 559 FC. Now back in the main draw, Inter is set to bring at least one face that should be familiar to USL Championship fans along for the ride.

Ten years ago, Matt Fondy was one of the stars of Louisville City’s inaugural season, claiming the Golden Boot and Player of the Year award with a then-record 22 goals in the regular season. He could be the player Monterey Bay’s back line needs to pay closest attention to after International recorded 18 goals in four games in qualifying.

Outlook

Monterey Bay FC picked up a morale-boosting victory on Saturday against Oakland Roots SC, but is likely going to need to be solid defensively to maintain what’s been a solid Open Cup record over the past couple of years.

MBFC advanced to the Round of 32 in both 2023 and 2024, famously defeating the San Jose Earthquakes in 2023 at Cardinale Stadium. Making sure the side enters with the right mentality will be key against International, which took fellow amateurs El Farolito to extra time when it last appeared in the tournament and now gets its first shot at a professional opponent.