Major League Soccer will not send its first teams to the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in 2024, instead sending teams from its two-year-old development league, MLS Next Pro, to the country’s oldest soccer tournament, the league announced Friday.The decision comes after MLS commissioner Don Garber criticized the tournament’s state during an open session of the USSF board of directors meeting in May, calling it “a very poor reflection on what it is that we’re trying to do with soccer at the highest level.
MLS withdraws first teams from U.S. Open Cup
“Garber addressed those remarks in his state of the league address prior to MLS Cup last week, expanding on the league’s relationship with the tournament.
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“I made those comments because I believe that if we’re going to have our professional teams competing in a tournament that is the oldest tournament of its type anywhere in the country, we all need to embrace it,” he said. “From our federation to our respective leagues, and give it the profile and support it requires.””If we can’t do that, then we all should be together and decide that there needs to be a new plan.
“US Soccer stated that it was “currently reviewing” the MLS decision.”Major League Soccer notified U.S. Soccer today of their Board of Governors vote regarding the 2024 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup,” the U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) said in a “Our staff is currently conducting a review.
“U.S. Soccer and our Members remain committed to the success of the historic U.S. Open Cup and look forward to engaging with all our stakeholders on the future of the tournament.”The decision was made in response to club feedback about fixture congestion, particularly after MLS introduced an expanded Leagues Cup competition with Liga MX last year. Despite its long history, there is a growing feeling in the league that the Open Cup’s prestige has dwindled.
“In recent months, the MLS sporting and competition group has been collaborating with U.S. Soccer to shape the future role of MLS teams in the Open Cup,” according to a statement released by the league. “MLS remains committed to working with the federation to evolve and elevate the Open Cup for everyone involved in the years ahead.”According to an MLS spokesperson, a decision on the league’s future involvement will be made after the 2024 season.
The single-elimination tournament, established in 1914, provided the only meaningful competition between the country’s first division and the rest of the American soccer ecosystem, which was particularly notable given the country’s lack of promotion and relegation.The Open Cup provided an opportunity for the United Soccer League, which will field 36 professional teams between the USL Championship and USL League 1 in 2023, to pit its teams and players against the best in the country.Sacramento Republic of the USL Championship reached the Open Cup final in 2022, but lost to Orlando City of the MLS.
The Rochester Rhinos were the last non-MLS team to win the tournament in 1999.”The MLS announcement today about the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup was a surprise to us and contrary to recent public statements,” said USL president Paul McDonough in a statement. “We will speak with U.S. Soccer, and with our owners, before making any further public comment about MLS’s position.”
The Open Cup winner has traditionally been awarded a spot in the Concacaf Champions League, now known as the Champions Cup, but it is unclear how that will change in the wake of MLS’ decision.Some MLS teams have already opted not to field their strongest lineups in recent years, instead using the competition to give playing time to lesser-used first-team players, MLS Next Pro players, and, in some cases, academy players. The deeper teams got into the tournament, the more likely it was that they would prioritize the competition.However, first-team MLS players will not be permitted to join MLS Next Pro teams in the latter stages of next year’s competition, according to an MLS spokesperson.