Reviving the Excitement of the World Cup

Following the success of the 2022 World Cup, Major League Soccer (MLS) is looking to build on the momentum and create a more exciting domestic competition. The new commissioner, Larry Berg, has hinted at introducing more jeopardy and drama to the regular season, but what if the US already had a domestic cup competition that offered underdog stories, diverse supporter cultures, and the emotion of knockout soccer?

The US Open Cup, established in 1913, is the country’s most prestigious cup competition, equivalent to famous competitions like England’s FA Cup and Germany’s DFB Pokal. With its rich history and open format, allowing teams from various leagues and levels across the country to participate, the US Open Cup has been a rare gem in US sports. However, it has faced a crisis point in recent years, with MLS’s decision to withdraw its teams from the competition in 2023.

A New Era for the US Open Cup?

USL, the second-tier professional league, is looking to the US Open Cup to complement its move to a three-tier professional league system. The league’s president, Paul McDonough, sees the cup as an opportunity to create a connected professional pathway with more meaningful competition across all three divisions. USL wants to introduce promotion and relegation, which aligns with Berg’s vision of creating games of consequence and jeopardy.

For the US Open Cup to thrive, it needs the top teams and players from MLS to participate. The current qualification method, which prioritizes teams that have already qualified for other competitions, has led to a lack of top-tier teams in the cup. USL is committed to supporting the US Open Cup and wants to see it grow, providing a platform for its teams to compete against the best and dream of continental competition.

The US Open Cup offers a unique opportunity for American soccer to build on the excitement created by the World Cup. With its rich history, open format, and potential for underdog stories, it is the perfect competition to revive the passion and drama of knockout soccer. By investing in the US Open Cup and creating a more merit-based qualification system, the US can create a more exciting domestic competition that rivals the best in the world.