Sporting Kansas City will start the membership’s participation in the 2026 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in the Round of 32 on the street at USL Championship opponents Colorado Springs Switchbacks on Tuesday, April 14.
U.S. Soccer performed the U.S. Open Cup Round of 32 and Round of 16 draw at present, figuring out the match-ups and hosts for the subsequent two rounds of the 111th version of the competitors.
The winner between Sporting Kansas City and Colorado Springs Switchbacks will play the winner between the Colorado Rapids (MLS) and Union Omaha (USL League One) in the Round of 16 with internet hosting precedence for the Round of 16 fixture assigned to Sporting Kansas City (1st), Colorado Rapids (2nd) and Union Omaha (third).
Sporting Kansas City is one of 16 Major League Soccer groups getting into a discipline that options 16 groups from leagues in the decrease divisions of American soccer. Broadcasts of all matches shall be streamed dwell on Paramount+ throughout the Round of 32 as CBS Sports serves because the multi-media rights holder for the competitors.
2026 U.S. Open Cup Round of 32
MLS (first division): 16 groups
USL Championship (second division): 9 groups
USL League One (third division): 6 groups
MLS NEXT Pro (third division): 1 group
The 2026 U.S. Open Cup will crown a champion in October after seven rounds of single-elimination play that includes a complete of 80 groups. The match options $1 million in prize cash and the winner will declare the Dewar Challenge Trophy together with a berth in the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup.
2026 U.S. Open Cup Schedule
Round of 32: April 14-15
Round of 16: April 28-29
Quarterfinals: May 19-20
Semifinals: Sept. 15-16
Final: Oct. 21
Colorado Springs and Sporting Kansas City will meet for the primary time. After profitable the USL Championship in 2024, the Switchbacks reached the Round of 32 with a 3-0 victory Azteca FC (United Premier Soccer League) in the First Round earlier than prevailing in penalties in opposition to Spokane Velocity FC (USL League One) in the Second Round.
The U.S. Open Cup, named in honor of former Kansas City Wizards proprietor Lamar Hunt, has topped a champion since 1914 and Sporting KC (2004, 2012, 2015, 2017) are four-time winners of U.S. Soccer’s nationwide membership championship, tied for many amongst MLS groups. Sporting Kansas City most not too long ago participated in the U.S. Open Cup in 2024, ending runners-up to LAFC after falling 3-1 in further time at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles.