The Houston Dynamo’s 2023 US Open Cup Triumph
The Houston Dynamo celebrated their hard-fought 2023 US Open Cup title, an achievement that highlights the tournament’s significance and competitive spirit. However, the joy of this victory is tempered by recent developments in Major League Soccer (MLS) participation in the US Open Cup. For the second consecutive year, MLS has deviated from the norm by entering only a portion of its teams into the competition. This year’s announcement, however, has been met with less controversy and backlash from the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) compared to the previous year.
MLS’s Multifaceted Tournament Participation
On Tuesday, MLS revealed a detailed plan for which teams would participate in various tournaments outside the 2025 MLS regular season and playoffs. These tournaments include the US Open Cup, Concacaf Champions Cup, Leagues Cup, and the Canadian Championship. The Leagues Cup, a joint venture between MLS and Mexico’s Liga MX, will feature 18 teams from each league in 2025, a reduction from the 29 MLS teams that participated in the past two seasons. This change has raised eyebrows and prompted questions about the fairness and transparency of the qualification process.
Historical Context and Rule Changes
Historically, the US Open Cup was an automatic and obligatory tournament for all American MLS teams. According to the USSF rulebook, "US-based teams must participate in all representative US Soccer [USSF] and CONCACAF competitions for which they are eligible." However, MLS has redefined "eligible" to invent a new form of qualification. Instead of all 27 eligible teams participating, MLS is withdrawing 11 teams, leaving 16 to compete in the 2025 Open Cup. This move is justified by MLS’s claim that "every MLS club has the opportunity to compete in at least one, but no more than two, North American competitions that run concurrently with the MLS league season."
Issues with the New System
The new qualification system has several flaws. For instance, Vancouver Whitecaps, despite finishing eighth in MLS’s Western Conference, is already at the two-tournament limit due to its participation in the Canadian Championship and the Concacaf Champions Cup. Consequently, it could not take its place in the Leagues Cup, and the spot was given to the 2025 expansion team, San Diego FC, which won’t be competing in the Open Cup. This decision seems arbitrary and highlights the convoluted nature of the process. Similarly, Atlanta United finds itself in a peculiar situation, excluded from the Open Cup because it neither finished poorly enough to miss the Leagues Cup nor well enough to qualify via the Supporters’ Shield standings.
Underlying Motivations and Critics’ Concerns
The issue of partial MLS participation in the US Open Cup dates back to December 2023 when MLS announced it would not enter any teams into the 2024 edition. After negotiations with the USSF, a compromise was reached, allowing eight MLS teams and nine MLS-affiliated MLS Next Pro teams to participate. MLS has been vocal about its criticisms of the Open Cup, citing issues such as facility standards, marketing, attendance, and schedule congestion. The true reasons, however, often boil down to financial control and brand management. As MLS Commissioner Don Garber noted, "We financially have no involvement in it. We don’t control the brand." This statement underscores MLS’s desire to maintain a significant degree of control over soccer in the United States.
The Importance of the US Open Cup
National cup competitions like the US Open Cup are a vital part of the soccer infrastructure in countries around the world. They serve to connect different levels of the sport, fostering a sense of unity and shared history. In the United States, wherepromotion and relegation between leagues do not exist, the 111-year-old Open Cup is particularly important. It links the sport’s rich history to its current leagues and provides a unique opportunity for smaller clubs to compete against the top teams. The health of such an open domestic cup can reveal a lot about the state of a country’s soccer, and the current issues faced by the US Open Cup highlight the significant influence MLS has over the game in the United States. This situation raises concerns about the future of the tournament and the broader impact on the American soccer landscape.
