In the 111th Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals, the Columbus Crew welcome New York City FC at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field and the Colorado Rapids host the San Jose Earthquakes at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. All remaining clubs are from Major League Soccer, an
ScottsMiracle-Gro Field in Columbus is ready to host one of the rare U.S. Open Cup nights where the storyline isn’t about an upset—it’s about proving a legacy.
On Wednesday, May 20, the 111th edition of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup reaches the quarterfinals with two Major League Soccer matchups. The Columbus Crew host New York City FC, and the Colorado Rapids host the San Jose Earthquakes.
The pressure comes from the tournament’s shape this year. Orlando City and St. Louis City already advanced to the semifinals after victories on Tuesday, May 19—Orlando City SC 4, Atlanta United 1, and St. Louis City SC 2, Houston Dynamo 2, with St. Louis winning the penalty shootout 4-2. Both clubs are MLS teams, and by this stage, there are no underdogs left to chase.
Columbus Crew vs. New York City FC is set for 7:30 p.m. ET at ScottsMiracle-Gro Field in Columbus, Ohio. Colorado Rapids vs. San Jose Earthquakes follows at 10 p.m. ET at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado.
Of the four quarterfinal clubs still alive—Columbus, New York City FC, Colorado, and San Jose—only the Crew (2002) have previously won the U.S. Open Cup.
That history matters. especially with the tournament now chasing a new kind of storyline: back-to-back-to-back first-time winners from different MLS clubs. After Los Angeles FC won the U.S. Open Cup in 2024 and Nashville SC did it in 2025. the Colorado Rapids. New York City FC. San Jose Earthquakes and St. Louis City are all aiming to add their names to a third consecutive first-time winner.
All games will stream on Paramount+. CBS Sports Network and CBS Sports Golazo Network will air select games, with the Columbus match on CBS Sports Golazo Network and the Colorado match on CBS Sports Network.
The quarterfinals are part of a tournament with a long American history. The U.S. Open Cup—officially the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup—began in 1913, originally called the National Challenge Cup. It has been played every year since 1913, except 2020-21 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The competition is modeled after England’s FA Cup and is a single-elimination tournament open to U.S.-based amateur and professional clubs. The winner earns a spot in the Concacaf Champions Cup.
MLS has dominated the U.S. Open Cup since 1996. MLS teams have won all but one U.S. Open Cup since that time; the Rochester Rhinos beat the Colorado Rapids in the 1999 final. The league has also competed since its inception. while the old North American Soccer League avoided the tournament. which is why teams like multiple-time NASL Soccer Bowl winners such as the New York Cosmos or Chicago Sting do not appear in U.S. Open Cup history.
Still, lower-division runs remain part of the tournament’s modern identity. USL sides Indy Eleven (2024 semifinalist) and Sacramento Republic FC (2022 finalist) have reached the late rounds, and FC Cincinnati made a semifinal run in 2017. FC Cincinnati began MLS play in 2019.
The trophy’s past has its own echoes. Bethlehem Steel won five U.S. Open Cups in the tournament’s first 13 years and folded four years after its last championship in 1926. Even with that early dominance, 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.
In the modern era, MLS’s climb toward those early repeat-champions numbers is visible in the totals. MLS teams are catching up, with the Chicago Fire, Sporting Kansas City and Seattle Sounders each holding four championships.
The winners list reads like a changing map of American soccer. From 2022 to 2025, Orlando City SC (2022), Nashville SC (2025), Los Angeles FC (2024), and Houston Dynamo (2023) have each held the title. There was no tournament in 2021 or 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and Atlanta United won in 2019.
The 2026 U.S. Open Cup schedule is already set: first round March 17-19; second round March 31-April 1; Round of 32 April 14-15; Round of 16 April 28-29; quarterfinals May 19-20; semifinals Sept. 15-16; final Oct. 21.
For Wednesday night, though, it’s simpler. Columbus and New York City FC will try to turn a single match into a semifinal berth. and Colorado and San Jose will do the same at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park. No underdog narrative remains to hide behind—only MLS clubs. one previous champion among them. and a tournament streak that could keep writing history in brand-new names.
U.S. Open Cup Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Columbus Crew New York City FC Colorado Rapids San Jose Earthquakes Paramount+ CBS Sports Golazo Network quarterfinals
Wait so it’s not an upset tournament anymore? Kinda boring if it’s just MLS teams. Just my opinion.
Columbus winning the Cup back in 2002 is kinda crazy, but I still don’t get why they keep saying it like it guarantees anything. NYCFC already has talent too. Also 7:30 ET is late for me, so idk.
I think the Orlando game was like 4-1 right? And St Louis tied too? I swear these scores always get mixed up in my head. If St Louis won on penalties then doesn’t that mean it should’ve been an upset still? lol.
Commerce City?? That’s basically Denver so the Rapids should be home-court advantage. Unless ScottsMiracle-Gro Field is somehow not in Columbus (I’m probably wrong). Anyway NYCFC vs Crew is gonna be messy, cup games always are. Might watch the second one just to see if San Jose actually shows up.