U.S. Soccer conducted the draw for the 2026 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 32 and Round of 16 on Thursday, determining that Austin FC will travel to face Louisville City FC in the Round of 32 at 7:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. CT on Tuesday, April 14 at Lynn Family Stadium. The match will be available to watch live on CBS Sports Network and Paramount+.
The winner of Austin vs. Louisville will face the winner of Houston Dynamo FC and El Paso Locomotive FC in the Round of 16 on Tuesday, April 28 or Wednesday, April 29. Kickoff date, time, location, and broadcast information for a possible Round of 16 match will be determined based on the results of the Round of 32 matches.
2026 Tournament Format
A field of 80 teams from several leagues and divisions within American soccer entered the tournament in 2025, all competing for a $1 million purse with a place in the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup also up for grabs. CBS Sports returns as the multi-media rights partner for the 2026 competition.
The U.S. Open Cup format will feature seven (7) single elimination rounds. Austin’s entry in the Round of 32 means that as in 2025, the Verde & Black will need to win five (5) matches to lift the trophy.
Ahead of the 2026 edition, U.S. Soccer adjusted two (2) rules. First, a one-club, one-entry rule applies to all divisions. Under this rule, a professional club must enter its highest-level professional team. Second, all numerical limits to the number of players that can be eligible for a competition roster have been removed across all divisions. All players from a club are eligible to participate, and players can be added up to one day prior to a match -- subject to league and U.S. Soccer player registration regulations as well as competition eligibility rules related to cup-ties, length of loan and disciplinary action.
Austin FC in the Open Cup
Austin FC won four (4) U.S. Open Cup matches in 2025, advancing past El Paso Locomotive FC, Houston Dynamo FC, San Jose Earthquakes, and Minnesota United FC to reach the Final. The Verde & Black finished as Open Cup runners-up and have an all-time record of five (5) wins and three (3) losses in the competition.
