Inter Miami CF is set to compete in the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup following two years without the competition taking place due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Not exactly sure what the U.S. Open Cup is? No need to worry, here we will break down the competition for you.
What is the U.S. Open Cup?
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is a single-elimination competition that crowns the top fútbol club in the United States in which teams from any division in the country can compete: MLS teams, MLS NEXT Pro teams, USL teams, NPSL teams and even amateur teams.
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup functions similarly to other domestic cups found around the world in different leagues; its equivalent would be the FA Cup in England, the Copa Del Rey in Spain, the Coppa Italia in Italy, and the DFB-Pokal in Germany.
When does the U.S. Open Cup start?
The competition is already well underway, having kicked off with the First Round which featured 16 fixtures that took place between March 22 and 23. Currently, the Second Round of the competition is being played, with 31 matches taking place between April 5 and April 7.
When does Inter Miami begin its participation?
The club will be entering the 107th edition of the competition in the Third Round set to be played April 19-21. 25 MLS teams are set to participate in the competition including Inter Miami, with 17 teams entering in the third round and the remaining eight teams entering in the Round of 32 that will take place between May 10 and 11.
Who will Inter Miami face in the Third Round?
Inter Miami will be playing one of the winners from the Second Round. The team’s opponent will be determined on April 8 in the Third Round Draw. The date of the match (April 19, 20 or 21) and the venue will also be determined in the draw as well.
What happens if Inter Miami wins in the Third Round?
As mentioned above, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is a single-elimination tournament, so participating teams play until they lose. If Inter Miami wins its Third Round matchup, the team will advance to the Round of 32 and face an opponent that will be determined in a draw on April 22.
Round |
Draw Date |
Dates of Fixtures |
|---|---|---|
Third Round |
April 8 |
April 19-21 |
Round of 32 |
April 22 |
May 10-11 |
Round of 16 |
May 12 |
May 24-25 |
Quarterfinals |
May 12 |
June 21-22 |
Semifinals |
June 23 |
July 26-27 |
Final |
June 23 |
TBD |
What is at stake?
The winner of the tournament not only gets the glory of being able to call themselves champions, as there is a $300,000 cash prize for the winner, an automatic spot in the next edition of the Concacaf Champions League and a shiny trophy to put on display.
