US Open Cup: How to watch, schedule of games as MLS teams enter Round of 32

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The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup hits an inflection point in this year's tournament as Major League Soccer teams enter the competition. The Round of 32 — which will take place on May 6-7 — features teams from four different leagues, with 16 of those teams representing MLS.

Los Angeles FC are the reigning U.S. Open Cup champions, but are not among the 16 MLS teams entered in the competition this year. The Chicago Fire, who are helmed by former U.S. men's national team coach Gregg Berhalter, are attempting to become the first MLS club to win five Open Cup trophies.

Here's what to know about how to watch the Round of 32 games and which teams are involved:

How to watch US Open Cup Round of 32 games

All games will stream on Paramount+. CBS Sports Network and CBS Sports Golazo Network to air select games.

Tuesday, May 6

Wednesday, May 7

Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC vs. New York City FC, 7 p.m. ET (CBS Sports Network)
Rhode Island FC vs. New England Revolution, 7:30 p.m. ET
Louisville City FC vs. Minnesota United FC, 7:30 p.m. ET
Philadelphia Union vs. Indy Eleven, 7:30 p.m. ET
Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. Orlando City SC, 7:30 p.m. ET
Chicago Fire FC vs. Detroit City FC, 8 p.m. ET
St. Louis CITY FC vs. Union Omaha, 8 p.m. ET
FC Dallas vs. AV ALTA FC, 8 p.m. ET
Austin FC vs. El Paso Locomotive FC, 8:30 p.m. ET
Phoenix Rising FC vs. Houston Dynamo, 10 p.m. ET (CBS Sports Network)
San Jose Earthquakes vs. Sacramento Republic FC, 10:30 p.m. ET (CBS Sports Golazo Network)

Which leagues are in the US Open Cup Round of 32?

➤ Major League Soccer (16): Austin FC, Charlotte FC, Chicago Fire FC, D.C. United, FC Dallas, Houston Dynamo FC, Minnesota United FC, Nashville SC, New England Revolution, New York City FC, New York Red Bulls, Orlando City SC, Philadelphia Union, Portland Timbers, San Jose Earthquakes, St. Louis City SC

➤ USL Championship (12): Charleston Battery, Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC, Detroit City FC, El Paso Locomotive FC, Indy Eleven, Louisville City FC, North Carolina FC, Phoenix Rising FC, Pittsburgh Riverhounds, Rhode Island FC, Sacramento Republic FC, Tampa Bay Rowdies

➤ USL League One (3): AV ALTA FC, Chattanooga Red Wolves SC, Union Omaha

➤ MLS NEXT Pro (1): Tacoma Defiance

What is the US Open Cup?

American soccer history is a disjointed and often-confusing enterprise, barren of the convenience of the century-long continuity of leagues such as Major League Baseball or the National Football League. However, one thread that ties the game of soccer together in this country through the years has been the U.S. Open Cup (officially known as the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup). The first U.S. Open Cup (originally called the National Challenge Cup) kicked off in 1913, seven years before the formation of the NFL and 12 years after the opening season of baseball's American League. The U.S. Open Cup — this country’s oldest annual tournament for team sports — has been played every year since 1913 with the exception of 2020-21 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The tournament was modeled after England's FA Cup, so the single-elimination competition is open to U.S.-based amateur and professional clubs. The winner of the U.S. Open Cup — a team that technically is the national champion of American men's club soccer — earns a spot in the Concacaf Champions Cup.

MLS has dominated the competition

Since 1996, MLS teams have won all but one U.S. Open Cup; the Rochester Rhinos beat the Colorado Rapids in the 1999 final. While MLS has competed in the U.S. Open Cup since the league's inception, the old North American Soccer League avoided it. So, you won't see the likes of multiple-time NASL Soccer Bowl winners such as the New York Cosmos or Chicago Sting gracing the historical records of the U.S. Open Cup.

USL sides Indy Eleven (2024 semifinalist), Sacramento Republic FC (2022 finalist) and FC Cincinnati (2017 semifinalist; FC Cincinnati began MLS play in 2019) have made deep tournament runs in recent years as lower division entries.

Who has the most US Open Cup titles?

If the National Association Football League had stood the test of time like MLB or the NFL, perhaps American sports fans would speak of Bethlehem Steel in the same reverence as the New York Yankees or Green Bay Packers. Bethlehem Steel won five U.S. Open Cups in the tournament's first 13 years. Four years after its last U.S. Open Cup championship in 1926, Bethlehem Steel folded. Meanwhile, the National Association Football League folded in 1921 and was essentially replaced by the American Soccer League, which shut down during the Great Depression in 1933. Bethlehem Steel played in both leagues.

Even though its last title came in the 1920s, Bethlehem Steel remains tied for the most U.S. Open Cup championships (five) with Maccabi Los Angeles, a semi-pro soccer club that operated from 1971-1982. MLS teams are catching up to the early repeat champions, with the Chicago Fire, Sporting Kansas City and Seattle Sounders each with four championships.

US Open Cup winners: Tournament champions since 1996

2024: Los Angeles FC
2023: Houston Dynamo
2022: Orlando City SC
2021: No tournament (COVID-19 pandemic)
2020: No tournament (COVID-19 pandemic)
2019: Atlanta United
2018: Houston Dynamo
2017: Sporting Kansas City
2016: FC Dallas
2015: Sporting Kansas City
2014: Seattle Sounders FC
2013: D.C. United
2012: Sporting Kansas City
2011: Seattle Sounders FC
2010: Seattle Sounders FC
2009: Seattle Sounders FC
2008: D.C. United
2007: New England Revolution
2006: Chicago Fire
2005: LA Galaxy
2004: Kansas City Wizards
2003: Chicago Fire
2002: Columbus Crew
2001: LA Galaxy
2000: Chicago Fire
1999: Rochester Rhinos (A-League/USL)
1998: Chicago Fire
1997: Dallas Burn
1996: D.C. United

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