A match between Division II and Major League Soccer sides highlights Tuesday's Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 32 schedule as North Carolina FC hosts Charlotte FC at First Horizon Stadium. The winner advances to the Round of 16 in the knockout tournament.
Sixteen contests across the country feature a top-division MLS club entering the competition against opponents from the USL Championship (Div. II), MLS NEXT Pro (Div. III), and USL League One (Div. III). Five matches are scheduled for Tuesday, with 11 following on Wednesday..North Carolina FC, which competes in the USL Championship, advanced to this stage after defeating the Charlotte Independence of USL League One 3-1 in the Third Round. This marks NCFC's 16th appearance in the tournament, with a best finish reaching the Semifinals in 2007. They also reached the Quarterfinals in 2013 and 2014. The team holds a 5-1 all-time record against teams from Charlotte in Open Cup play.
Charlotte FC, a Major League Soccer club, enters the tournament in this round as part of the automatic bids provided to MLS teams. This is Charlotte FC's third Open Cup appearance. In their previous two entries (2022 and 2023), the club won two games before being eliminated on the road in the Fifth Round. They did not participate in last year's competition.
NCFC currently sits at 3-3-2 in USL Championship play, having lost two of its last three league games. Evan Conway leads the team with three goals, and Michael Maldonado has three assists.
Charlotte FC holds a 6-4-1 record in Major League Soccer but has lost its last two league matches. Pep Biel is tied for the team lead with three goals and leads in assists with six.
The Round of 32 slate includes several other inter-division matchups. D.C. United plays Charleston Battery, Nashville SC hosts Chattanooga Red Wolves SC, and Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC faces New York Red Bulls on Tuesday. On Wednesday, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC meets New York City FC, Philadelphia Union takes on Indy Eleven, and Austin FC hosts El Paso Locomotive FC, among others..The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, now in its 110th edition, is the oldest ongoing national soccer competition in the United States. It features professional and amateur teams affiliated with U.S. Soccer. The winner of the 2025 tournament will earn a berth in the 2026 Concacaf Champions Cup.
Los Angeles Football Club of MLS is the defending champion, having won the 109th edition in 2024.
