Prinx Tires USL Cup News
How might the 2026 Prinx Tires USL Cup Group Stage Play Out?
Here’s a look at the early favorites, dark horses and cupset-minded clubs for each of the seven groups
Prinx Tires named entitlement partner of USL Cup
2026 Prinx Tires USL Cup to feature 43 clubs across USL Championship and League One; tournament kicks off April 25
USL Championship Announces Competition Format for 2026 Season
25 teams to compete in league’s 16th campaign kicking off on Saturday, March 7
The 2026 Prinx Tires USL Cup is the third edition of the USL's interleague cup competition, a World Cup-style tournament which features all 43 teams across the USL Championship and League One.
Adding more meaningful matches to the annual calendar, the 2026 Prinx Tires USL Cup will see Hartford Athletic aim to defend its crown in the biggest edition of the competition to date.
COMPETITION STRUCTURE
The 2026 Prinx Tires USL Cup will kick off on Saturday, April 25 with teams split into seven regional groups. Six groups will include six teams and one will include seven teams, with each club set to play four group stage games in the opening phase of the tournament, which will conclude on Saturday, July 11.
The seven group winners and one wild card will advance to the knockout stage, with the wild card to be awarded to the second-placed team with the most points in group play, followed by the first tiebreaker of most goals scored. The Quarterfinals will be held on Wednesday, August 13, followed by the Semifinals on Wednesday, September 9 before the final on the weekend of October 2-4, 2026.