Sixteen MLS clubs, twice as many as in 2024, will compete in the 2025 U.S. Open Cup, but defending champ LAFC isn’t one of them.

After the 2023 Open Cup, MLS announced its withdrawal from the competition that was founded in 1914, citing schedule congestion created by its Leagues Cup and the expanded Concacaf Champions Cup. It would instead field reserve teams from MLS Next Pro. But a compromise with U.S. Soccer was ironed out for 2024 that saw eight MLS clubs and nine MLS Next Pro teams take part.

  • MLS in 2025 Open Cup: Nine of the 2025 Open Cup MLS participants qualified by not being part of the Leagues Cup (downsized from all MLS teams to 18) or Concacaf Champions Cup. Seven others were determined from the 2024 MLS regular season standings, excluding clubs competing in the Concacaf Champions Cup. 2024 Open Cup runner-up Sporting KC won’t take part in the Open Cup; Concacaf included it among the 10 MLS Champions Cup teams by virtue of its Open Cup final appearance.
LAFC’s 3-1 win over Kansas City in 2024 marked the 23rd straight U.S. Open Cup title by an MLS team. Only one non-MLS team, the Rochester Rhinos in 1999, has lifted the Open Cup since MLS’s inaugural 1996 season and all but four of the 27 finals were all-MLS affairs. (Photo: LAFC)

The bracket
64 pro teams, from USL Championship (24), MLS (16), USL One (14) and MLS Next Pro (10).
32 amateur clubs, from a variety of leagues, led by USL Two (9), UPSL (7) and NPSL (7).
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Soccer America Executive Editor Mike Woitalla has written freelance articles about soccer for more than 30 media outlets in nine nations. The winner of eight United Soccer Coaches Writing Contest awards,...