Major League Soccer (MLS) has announced a significant change in its approach to the 2024 US Open Cup, revealing that MLS teams will not participate. Instead, second-tier development clubs will represent the league in the historic football tournament, dating back to 1914. The decision, made by MLS club owners, aims to alleviate schedule congestion and create opportunities for emerging talent.
The US Open Cup, traditionally open to all US clubs, has seen MLS teams dominate since the league’s inception in 1996. However, this shift will see MLS Next teams taking the field in the 2024 edition of the single-elimination competition. Inter Miami, notably playing without the injured Lionel Messi, lost this year’s US Open Cup final 2-1 at home to the Houston Dynamo in September.
The move is expected to free up mid-week match dates for MLS teams by withdrawing from the US Open Cup, offering relief amid a packed schedule due to newer tournaments such as the Leagues Cup. MLS Commissioner Don Garber has previously criticized the US Open Cup, and the league sees this adjustment as a strategic move to manage the increasing demands on clubs.
MLS expressed its commitment to collaborating with US Soccer to enhance the Open Cup experience for all involved. The decision also aligns with MLS’s focus on promoting additional playing opportunities for emerging talents within its development teams.
The only non-MLS club to secure victory in the US Open Cup since the league’s inception was the Rochester Rhinos in 1999. MLS teams, by participating in the Leagues Cup and other events, seek to strike a balance between managing schedules and providing valuable playing time for developing players.
