From U.S. Soccer (www.ussoccer.com)

2004 LAMAR HUNT U.S. OPEN CUP STRUCTURE OVERVIEW
CHICAGO (January 29, 2004) - A total of 40 teams - 24 professional and 16 amateur - will compete in the 2004 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup as it kicks off during the first week of June. After 34 teams participated in 2003, six additional amateur teams will take part in the tournament this year marking the most total teams since Major League Soccer began participating in 1996.

The additional amateur teams will hail from the United States Adult Soccer Association’s regional qualifiers as well as the Premier Development League of the United Soccer Leagues. The four USASA regional champions will be joined by the four runners up in the tournament for the first time, while two additional PDL teams will earn berths to bring the total number of teams representing the PDL to eight.

First-round pairings will be announced on May 25 and the First Round will be played on June 2 & 8. The defending champion Chicago Fire (Major League Soccer) enter the tournament on July 20 in the fourth round. The semifinals will be played Aug. 24 & 25, with the final being played on Sept. 22, almost one month earlier than last year.

The 2004 Open Cup bracketing will be similar to 2003, but with an expanded number of games in the first two rounds. The first round will feature match-ups between USASA teams from the Premier Development League and regional qualifiers. In the second round six teams from the USL Pro Soccer League and two A-League teams join the mix to take on the first round winners. The second round winners will play six more A-League teams and the two non-playoff teams from the 2003 MLS standings (Columbus Crew & Dallas Burn) in the third round. The balance of the MLS teams will face the third round winners in the fourth round before the quarterfinals are set.

The U.S. Open Cup, which is recognized as U.S. Soccer’s National Championship, is an annual competition open to all amateur and professional soccer teams affiliated with U.S. Soccer. Within the U.S. Open Cup framework, teams shall compete in one of the following four categories: professional outdoor Division I (Major League Soccer), Division II (A-League) or Division III (USL Professional Soccer League); or Amateur Division (USL Premier Development League & U.S. Adult Soccer Association).

The U.S. Open Cup is a single-elimination tournament, with drawn games being decided by two 15-minute sudden death ("Golden Goal") overtime halves.  If neither team scores during the two overtime halves, the winner is decided on penalty kicks. The team that advances the furthest from each level except Division I earns a $10,000 cash prize. The runner-up takes home $50,000, while the champion collects $100,000. The winner also will have the team’s name engraved on the historic Dewar Cup.

2004 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Schedule
Qualifying - Ends May 23*  
Pairings Announcement - May 25  
First Round - June 2 & 8 Eight USASA regional qualifiers vs. eight PDL teams
Second Round - June 15  First Round winners vs. six USL PSL, two A-League teams
Third Round - June 30  Second Round winners vs. two MLS, six A-League teams
Fourth Round - July 20  Third Round winners vs. remaining eight MLS teams
Quarterfinals - Aug. 4   Fourth Round winners
Semifinals - Aug. 24 & 25 Quarterfinal winners
Final - Sept. 22 Semifinal winners

*Qualifying for USASA Region III does not end until May 31

Composition of participating teams:
10 Major League Soccer  
8 A-League
6 USL-PSL   
16 USASA (8 PDL, 8 regional qualifiers)
40 Total Teams