What is the history of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup?
FC Dallas will begin its 2023 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup campaign on the road against Nashville SC, but in order to understand how the Cup works, we have to go back to 1914. The U.S. Open Cup is the oldest cup competition for soccer in the United States and the country's oldest annual competition for team sports.
The competition was named the National Challenge Cup from 1914 to 1999, but it was then renamed in honor of club patriarch Lamar Hunt.
What is the format of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup work?
The number of teams which participate and the variety of competition are what makes the U.S. Open Cup special. Due to the single-game elimination rule, anything can happen in the tournament. Ninety-nine teams across multiple levels of soccer will compete this year.
What will the 2023 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup winner receive?
The winning team will earn $300,000 in prize money, a berth in the 2023 CONCACAF Champions League, and have its name engraved on the Dewar Challenge Trophy, which is on display at the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Frisco, Texas. The runner-up will earn $100,000, and the team that advances the furthest from each lower division will take home a $25,000 cash prize.
Part of our history!
FC Dallas won in 2016 in front of its home fans in Frisco, Texas. Dallas has made it to the quarterfinals of the tournament seven times, made it to the semifinals five times, earned a spot in the final twice and has won the tournament two times (1997 and 2016).