2016 U.S. Open Cup qualification
The 2016 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup tournament proper will feature teams from all five tiers of men's soccer of the American Soccer Pyramid.
Starting with the 2016 tournament, US Soccer took over the qualifying process that used to be handled by each association. According to US Soccer, all teams within the Division I, II, & III professional leagues will qualify automatically as in past years. Any national league not in the top three divisions can apply to use previous year's league standings as their qualification method. Remaining teams will participate in up to five qualifying rounds to determine entrants in to the tournament proper. In prior years, slots were allocated and the individual associations created tournaments and qualifiers to determine their representatives. Final slot allocation will be determined when team registration has concluded.[1][2]
As of September 8, 2015, US Soccer has made the decision to ban all lower division teams that are majority owned by a higher division team. This means Bethlehem Steel, LA Galaxy 2, New York Red Bulls 2, Orlando City B, Portland Timbers 2, Real Monarchs, Seattle Sounders 2, and Swope Park Rangers (all from the United Soccer League) will not qualify for the 2016 tournament.[3] On November 5, 2015, New York Cosmos Chief Operating Officer Erik Stover stated that eligible New York Cosmos B would not enter as "the integrity of the tournament is more important".[4][5] Just before the tournament, USL side Rio Grande Valley FC Toros and their MLS parent Houston Dynamo asked that RGVFC be banned from the tournament by US Soccer. While RGVFC is not owned by the Dynamo, the MLS side staffs and coaches the Toros.
Local Qualifying Track (56)
First qualifying round
| October 17 | Battery Park Gunners | 0–2 | Southie FC | Roxbury, Massachusetts |
| 12:00 ET | Stadium: Madison Park High School |
| October 17 | Vereinigung Erzgebirge | 0–1 | Salone FC | Warminster, Pennsylvania |
| 14:00 ET | Stadium: Vereinigung Erzgebirge |
| October 17 | Aromas Café FC | 3–1 | Tartan Devils Oak Avalon | Charlottesville, Virginia |
| 15:00 ET | Stadium: South Fork Soccer Park |
| October 17 | Junior Lone Star FC | 1–2 (a.e.t.) | West Chester United | Wayne, Pennsylvania |
| 18:30 ET | Stadium: YSC Sports Field |
| October 17 | Jersey Shore Boca | 2–1 | South Jersey Elite Barons | Brick, New Jersey |
| 19:00 ET | Stadium: Pinewood Park |
| October 17 | Lansdowne Bhoys FC | 3–0 | Newtown Pride FC | Bronx, New York |
| 19:30 ET | Stadium: Gaelic Park |
| October 18 | Boston Olympiakos FC | 0–5 | Global Premier Soccer Omens | West Roxbury, Massachusetts |
| 14:00 ET | Stadium: West Roxbury High School |
| October 18 | Aegean Hawks | 2–1 (a.e.t.) | Maryland Bays | Boyds, Maryland |
| 14:30 ET | Stadium: Maryland SoccerPlex |
| October 18 | New York Greek Americans SC | 2–4 (a.e.t.) | New York Pancyprian-Freedoms | Maspeth, New York |
| 18:00 ET | Stadium: Metropolitan Oval |
| October 18 | Worcester FC | 2–0 | Newport FC | Worcester, Massachusetts |
| 19:30 ET | Stadium: Foley Stadium |
| October 24 | Harpo's FC | 4–1 | Colorado Rovers S.C. | Commerce City, Colorado |
| 16:30 MT | Stadium: Dick's Sporting Goods Park, Field 8 Referee: Karen Abt |
| October 24 | Strikers FC South Coast | 2–3 | La Maquina | Lake Forest, California |
| 18:00 PT | Stadium: Lake Forest Sports Park and Recreation Center |
| Forfeit | International Portland Select | 1–0 | KC Athletics |
| October 24 | Corinthians USA | 0–2 | San Nicolas FC | Rialto, California |
| 19:00 PT | Stadium: Rialto High School |
| October 24 | San Pedro Monsters FC | 9–0 | Footballers Academy | San Pedro, California |
| 19:00 PT | Stadium: Daniel's Field |
| October 24 | L.A. Wolves FC | 3–1 | Del Rey City SC | Torrance, California |
| 20:00 PT | Stadium: Toyota Sports Complex |
| Forfeit | Motagua New Orleans | 1–0 | Tobacco Road FC |
| October 25 | San Francisco City FC | 2–0 | El Farolito | San Francisco, California |
| 15:00 PT | Stadium: Kezar Stadium |
| October 25 | Real Miami Club of Football | 1–2 (a.e.t.) | Boca Raton Football Club | Miami, Florida |
| 16:30 ET | Stadium: St. John Bosco Football Stadium |
| October 25 | FC Boulder | 2–5 | Colorado Rush | Boulder, Colorado |
| 15:00 MT | Stadium: Pleasant View Soccer Complex |
| October 25 | Buena Park FC | 1–5 | Outbreak FC | La Palma, California |
| 15:00 PT | Stadium: John F. Kennedy High School |
| October 25 | Queen City United FC | 4–1 | Charlotte Sporting Soccer Academy FC | Charlotte, North Carolina |
| 19:00 ET | Stadium: West Mecklenburg Stadium |
| October 25 | Ozzy's Laguna FC | 2–2 (a.e.t.) (1–4 p) | Real Sociedad | Monterey Park, California |
| 16:00 PT | Stadium: East Los Angeles College |
| October 25 | Uruguay Kendall FC | 3–0 | Red Force FC | Pembroke Pines, Florida |
| 20:00 ET | Stadium: Broward College - South Campus |
| October 25 | IFX Ballistic | 0–1 | Davis Legacy | Livermore, California |
| 17:00 PT | Stadium: Las Positas College |
| October 25 | Cal FC | 4–0 | Valley United SC | Agoura Hills, California |
| 19:00 PT | Stadium: Agoura High School |
| October 25 | Temecula FC | 2–5 | Chula Vista FC | Temecula, California |
| 19:00 PT | Stadium: Linfield Christian School |
| October 31 | Austin Real Cuauhtemoc | 2–4 | NTX Rayados | Georgetown, Texas |
| Stadium: McMasters Athletic Complex, Field B |
Second qualifying round
| November 14 | New York Pancyprian-Freedoms | 2–1 | Jersey Shore Boca | New York, New York |
| 19:00 ET | Stadium: Randall's Island Wards Meadow Fields #75 |
| November 14 | Worcester FC | 0–5 | Lansdowne Bhoys FC | Worcester, Massachusetts |
| 19:15 ET | Stadium: Foley Stadium |
| November 15 | Aromas Café FC | 3–1 | Aegean Hawks | Charlottesville, Virginia |
| 15:00 ET | Stadium: Charlottesville High School |
| November 15 | Southie FC | 4–0 | Global Premier Soccer Omens | Lawrence, Massachusetts |
| 16:00 ET | Stadium: Veterans Memorial Stadium |
| November 15 | West Chester United | 3–0 | Salone FC | West Chester, Pennsylvania |
| 17:00 ET | Stadium: West Chester United Turf Field |
| November 21 | Motagua New Orleans | 5–2 | Queen City United FC | New Orleans, Louisiana |
| 19:00 CT | Stadium: Pan American Stadium |
| November 21 | Chula Vista FC | 0–4 | La Maquina | Chula Vista, California |
| 18:00 PT | Stadium: Stan Canaris Stadium |
| November 21 | L.A. Wolves FC | 2–1 | Cal FC | Torrance, California |
| 19:30 PT | Stadium: Toyota Sports Complex, Field 1 |
| November 22 | Uruguay Kendall FC | 1–1 (a.e.t.) (4–5 p) | Boca Raton Football Club | Pembroke Pines, Florida |
| 15:30 ET | Stadium: Broward College – South Campus |
| November 22 | Harpo's FC | 3–1 | Colorado Rush | Commerce City, Colorado |
| 14:00 MT | Stadium: Dick's Sporting Goods Park, Field 8 |
| November 22 | San Francisco City FC | 4–3 | Davis Legacy | San Francisco, California |
| 14:00 PT | Stadium: Kezar Stadium Attendance: 862 |
| Forfeit | NTX Rayados | 1–0 | International Portland Select | Dallas, Texas |
| Stadium: Richland Community College |
| November 22 | Real Sociedad | 0–3 | San Nicolas FC | Bellflower, California |
| 16:30 PT | Stadium: St. John Bosco High School |
| November 22 | San Pedro Monsters FC | 3–4 (a.e.t.) | Outbreak FC | Torrance, California |
| 19:30 PT | Stadium: Toyota Sports Complex, Field 2 |
Third qualifying round
On February 3, teams scheduled for the Third Qualifying Round received letters from USSF advising them that due to the withdrawal of some professional teams (the USL clubs mentioned above), the round was cancelled and all twelve teams had qualified for the First Round of the main tournament along with the two teams who had received prior byes.[6]
Teams scheduled to receive byes to the First Round
Teams scheduled to play in the Third Qualifying Round before cancellation
- West Chester United
- Southie FC
- Lansdowne Bhoys FC
- New York Pancyprian-Freedoms
- Motagua New Orleans
- NTX Rayados
- La Maquina
- Outbreak FC
- L.A. Wolves FC
- San Nicolas FC
- Aromas Café FC
- Boca Raton Football Club
National League Track
Premier Development League (15)
On September 16, 2015, US Soccer announced the 15 PDL sides for the US Open Cup listed below. 2015 league results were used to determine the qualifying teams.[7]
- Kitsap Pumas (Northwest Division Winner) (Granted bye to Second Round due to late withdrawal of Rio Grande Valley FC)
- Burlingame Dragons FC (Southwest Division Winner)
- Charlotte Eagles (South Atlantic Division Winner)
- Des Moines Menace (Heartland Division Winner)
- FC Tucson (Mountain Division Winner)
- GPS Portland Phoenix (Northeast Division Winner)
- Michigan Bucks (Great Lakes Division Winner)
- Mississippi Brilla (Mid South Division Winner)
- New York Red Bulls U-23 (Mid Atlantic Division Winner)
- Ocala Stampede (Southeast Division Winner)
- Jersey Express (At-Large Berth)
- Long Island Rough Riders (At-Large Berth)
- Reading United (At-Large Berth)
- Seacoast United Phantoms (At-Large Berth)
- Ventura County Fusion (At-Large Berth)
National Premier Soccer League (13)
On September 13, 2015, the NPSL announced the 13 NPSL sides for the US Open Cup listed below. Detroit City was added later as a late addition at-large berth due to the withdrawal of New York Cosmos B. 2015 league results were used to determine the qualifying teams.[8]
- New York Cosmos B (Championship Game Winner) †
- Chattanooga FC (Championship Runner-Up) (Granted bye to Second Round due to late withdrawal of Rio Grande Valley FC)
- CD Aguiluchos USA (Playoff Semifinalist)
- Indiana Fire (Playoff Semifinalist)
- AFC Cleveland (Playoff Quarterfinalist)
- Clarkstown SC Eagles (Playoff Quarterfinalist)
- Myrtle Beach Mutiny (Playoff Quarterfinalist)
- Sacramento Gold (Playoff Quarterfinalist)
- Atlanta Silverbacks Reserves (At-Large Berth)
- FC Wichita (At-Large Berth)
- Fredericksburg FC (At-Large Berth)
- Miami Fusion FC (At-Large Berth)
- New York Athletic Club (At-Large Berth)
- Detroit City FC (At-Large Berth)
† Withdrew on November 5, 2015
References
- ^ "New Amateur Team Qualifying Process for 2016 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup". ussoccer.com. September 18, 2015.
- ^ "2016 US Open Cup qualifying: Open division tournament begins in October; PDL gets 15 spots, NPSL gets 13". thecup.us. September 16, 2015. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
- ^ Halaka, Josh (November 4, 2015). "MLS-owned USL teams not allowed in 2016 US Open Cup, per USSF policy change". thecup.us. Retrieved November 6, 2015.
- ^ https://twitter.com/ErikStoverNYC/status/662286704167002112
- ^ https://twitter.com/ErikStoverNYC/status/662288555566329856
- ^ Hakala, Josh (February 3, 2016). "Final round of 2016 US Open Cup qualifying canceled, remaining 14 amateur teams punch ticket". thecup.us. Retrieved February 4, 2016.
- ^ "Thirty-Six Slots Awarded to Open Division Teams for 2016 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup". US Soccer. September 16, 2015. Retrieved September 19, 2015.
- ^ "2016 LAMAR HUNT U.S. OPEN CUP DETAILS ANNOUNCED". National Premier Soccer League (NPSL). September 13, 2015. Retrieved September 19, 2015.