On Tuesday, US Soccer inched closer to the 2027 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup.
The federation officially announced the amateur teams that will be competing for a spot in the First Round of the tournament next March. All this while the 2026 US Open Cup waits in the wings to continue, with the semifinals set to take place in mid-September.
For the third consecutive year, the Open Cup has allocated 32 slots for amateur teams from the Open Division, the term US Soccer uses for all non-professional soccer.
A record 155 teams will compete for 16 spots, joining the 16 amateur teams that have already received byes directly into the tournament field. That group includes two locals: New Haven United FC (Connecticut) and Ocean City Nor'easters (New Jersey), along with other amateur champions, such as Vermont Green FC.
The four Qualifying Rounds begin in September before concluding in November. The First Qualifying Round draw and schedule will be released next week.
In total, 22 teams from across New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut will be competing against one another for a spot in the tournament. They are as follows, with brief snippets of what to know about each team.
New York
- American Soccer Club New York (Hicksville, NY)
Reached National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) North Atlantic Conference Final in 2026. They're an affiliate of the Cosmos, with recent former players Stalyn Acosta and Will Noecker moving to USL League One this season. - FCY New York (Buffalo, NY)
Finished fourth in United Premier Soccer League (UPSL) Western NY Conference during Spring 2026 season, won the Conference Championship playoff, reached the national Round of 16, and the club traces its roots back to 1975 and the Lackawanna Yemen Soccer Club. - Lansdowne Yonkers FC (Yonkers, NY)
Finished second in American Premier Soccer League (APSL) Metropolitan Conference during the 2025/26 season, lost in the Conference Semifinals, reached the 2026 National Amateur Cup Final. Their roster includes former New England Revolution midfielder Andrew Sousa and former League of Ireland forward Danú Kinsella-Bishop, and they're seeking a fifth US Open Cup appearance. - New Amsterdam FC (TBD)
Former professional team in the National Independent Soccer Association (NISA), owned by "healthcare entrepreneur" Lawrence Girard, which got expelled from the league and effectively folded in January 2022. Somehow, they have returned to compete in Cosmopolitan Soccer League's Division 1. - New York Athletic Club (Travers Island, NY)
Finished ninth in American Premier Soccer League (APSL) Metropolitan Conference during the 2025/26 season. It's the current home of former New York City FC midfielder Tony Rocha. The club qualified for the 2016 US Open Cup, but withdrew. - NY Dash FC (Elmont, NY)
Formerly NY Dash SC, the club went undefeated and won the UPSL Division 2 title in Spring 2026 season, earning promotion to UPSL Division 1 (second tier of UPSL) for this season. - New York Greek American SC (Astoria, NY)
The four-time US Open Cup champions finished first in American Premier Soccer League (APSL) Metropolitan Conference during the 2025/26 season, though they lost in the conference semifinals. The roster includes former Red Bull New York academy and New York City FC player Daniel Bedoya, and former NYCFC II midfielder Pierce Infuso, among others. - NY Pancyprian Freedoms (Astoria, NY)
Three-time US Open Cup champions, finished third in American Premier Soccer League (APSL) Metropolitan Conference during 2025/26 season, then lost in conference final. The Pancyprian Freedoms, former team of Canada national team forward Tani Oluwaseyi, have played in or attempted to qualify for every Open Cup since 1977. The club also beat FC Cincinnati 2 in the 2025 US Open Cup First Round. - NY Renegades FC (Jericho, NY)
Won UPSL American North Conference Championship during an undefeated Spring 2026 season. They reached the UPSL Spring 2026 National Semifinals, and won the Third Place match, and now they're seeking a third straight US Open Cup appearance. - Osner's FC (Mineola, NY)
The Haitian cultural side finished third in United Premier Soccer League (UPSL) American North Conference during the Spring 2026 season, then lost in the conference semifinals. Osner's also competes in the National Premier Soccer League, and once played Ecuadorian professional side Barcelona SC in an international friendly at Hinchliffe Stadium in Paterson, New Jersey. - Red Hook Football Club (Brooklyn, NY)
Finished second in the United Premier Soccer League American North Conference during the Spring 2026 season, then reached the conference final. Red Hook was founded in 2024 as a community club and has earned multiple promotions up through the UPSL.
New Jersey
- Bulldogs SC (Old Bridge, NJ)
Finished sixth in United Premier Soccer League American South Conference during the Spring 2026 season, then lost in the conference quarterfinals. Reached the Third Qualifying Round for the 2026 US Open Cup. - FC Monmouth (Fair Haven, NJ)
Finished third in The League for Clubs Northeast Conference (TLfC) South Division during the 2026 season, and reached the Second Qualifying Round for the 2026 US Open Cup. Coached by Monmouth University assistant head coach and former Red Bull New York reserve player Hugh MacDonald, this is a true community club with deep ties to Monmouth County, and with some really nice kits. - FC Motown (Morristown, NJ)
Finished fourth in National Premier Soccer League's (NPSL) Keystone Conference during the 2026 season, then reached the conference final. Motown also competes in USL League Two (FC Motown STA), with multiple alumni now in MLS such as Max Murray (NYCFC) and Peter Stroud (Minnesota United FC). The club is seeking a ninth straight US Open Cup appearance (an active record for amateur team), though this is their first appearance in the qualifying rounds since 2016. - Five Rivers SC (Carteret, NJ)
Finished ninth in United Premier Soccer League American South Conference during the Spring 2026 season. The first Sikh-American semi-pro soccer club, Five Rivers debuted in UPSL during the Fall 2025 season in Division 1 (second tier), finished the regular season on top of the Northeast American Conference South Division, and earned promotion to UPSL Premier (first tier). - Ironbound SCP (Newark, NJ)
Finished seventh in United Premier Soccer League American South Conference during the Spring 2026 season. Created through a merger of Sport Club Portuguese (established in 1921) and Ironbound Soccer Club,with a clubhouse building in Newark that includes an incredible museum with century-old soccer artifacts. Ironbound alumni include USMNT and AFC Bournemouth midfielder Tyler Adams. - Jersey Shore Boca (West Creek, NJ)
Finished 10th in American Premier Soccer League's (APSL) Delaware River Conference during the 2025/26 season, just above the relegation playoff line. In 2012, Boca became the first amateur club from New Jersey to qualify for the US Open Cup in the modern era (1995-present), and the club is now seeking a second tournament appearance. - New Jersey Alliance FC (Lyndhurst, NJ)
Finished third in United Premier Soccer League American South Conference during the Spring 2026 season. Won the conference final over Union SC, and reached the national Round of 32. Now seeking a second US Open Cup appearance after making it in 2025. - Oaklyn United FC (Oaklyn, NJ)
Reserve team of USL League Two side Ocean City Nor'easters, Oaklyn finished second in American Premier Soccer League (APSL) Delaware River Conference during the 2025/26 season, then reached the conference final. - Real Central NJ Soccer (Pennington, NJ)
Finished fourth in American Premier Soccer League (APSL) Delaware River Conference during the 2025/26 season. The club also competes in USL League Two and is attempting to join USL League One in the future. They claim "Central Jersey" is a real thing (not true). - SC Vistula Garfield (Garfield, NJ)
Founded in 1952, they finished eighth in American Premier Soccer League (APSL) Metropolitan Conference during the 2025/26 season. Head coach and captain is former New York Red Bulls Reserve Team player Christopher Karcz. They faced One Knoxville SC in the US Open Cup First Round last year.
Connecticut
- KO Elites FC (West Hartford, CT)
Finished first in the American Premier Soccer League (APSL) Constitution Conference, won the conference final, but fell in the APSL Northeast Final. Former 2018 MLS SuperDraft pick Andre Morrison led the team in scoring with 11 goals.
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