It's official - Forward Madison FC will enter the first round of the 2019 U.S. Open Cup on May 7 or 8, according to U.S. Soccer. But what exactly is the Open Cup, and why do flamingos play in it? We've got all your answers...

Now in its 106th year, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup – U.S. Soccer's national championship, so to speak – is the oldest continuously running soccer tournament in the country, and one of the oldest in the world. What makes it unique in the landscape of American sports is that the Open Cup, like the name suggests, is completely open. Any team, pro or amateur, from the heights of Major League Soccer down to a local pub team, can try to qualify for the tournament and become champions.

Since Forward Madison is a professional team, it qualifies automatically for the Open Cup. Semi-professional and amateur teams, such as the Milwaukee Bavarians, to give an example, have to compete in qualifiers to make it through to the main show. There are 84 teams competing in this year's Open Cup, and 38 of them, including Forward Madison, will enter in the first round on May 7 and 8. It's a single-elimination, knockout tournament, so once you lose, you're done. If a game is tied at the end of regulation, teams play 30 minutes of overtime, then go to a shootout if necessary.

Current Forward Madison Managing Director Peter Wilt won four Open Cups while serving as president of the Chicago Fire. He helped his team to victories in 1998, 2000, 2003 and 2006.

Read: "Jeff Michaud, standout in the Open Cup"

Home teams are determined by random selection, assuming both apply to host. Teams are generally paired geographically with each other, which means Madison will likely have an opponent within easy travel range.

Here's how the U.S. Open Cup will look this year:

• Forward Madison will enter in Round 1, along with 5 other USL League One teams and 32 "Open Division" teams.
• The 19 Round 1 winners will enter Round 2, along with 25 USL Championship teams.
• The 22 Round 2 winners will face off against each other in Round 3.
• The 11 Round 3 winners and 21 Major League Soccer teams will enter in Round 4.
• From there on out, it'll be done bracket-style until the championship game.

The winning team will take home $300,000 and qualify for the CONCACAF Champions League, a continental club tournament which pits teams from across North America and the Caribbean against each other. The furthest-advancing team from each division, meanwhile, will earn $25,000.

The U.S. Open Cup can be a huge opportunity for lower-league teams to prove themselves against the big boys of American soccer. In 2017, the USL's FC Cincinnati made it to the semifinal of the Open Cup, drawing huge crowds along the way which helped prove the team was ready for MLS expansion. For Forward Madison, the U.S. Open Cup means there's no reason not to dream.

Want to see Forward Madison FC in action? Get tickets to the inaugural season at https://www.forwardmadisonfc.com/tickets.