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USL unveils Open Cup qualifying format
Layout similar to 2007, but changes made to PDL
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2008 U.S. Open Cup
Participants
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MLS (8 teams): Houston Dynamo, New England Revolution, DC United, Chivas USA, FC Dallas, New York Red Bulls. Two teams to qualify through play-in games.
USL-1 (8 teams): Atlanta Silverbacks, Carolina RailHawks, Charleston Battery, Miami FC Blues, Minnesota Thunder, Portland Timbers, Rochester Rhinos, Seattle Sounders.
USL-2 (8 teams): Harrisburg City Islanders (defending league champion). Richmond Kickers (defending regular season champion). Six teams to advance through qualifying.
PDL (8 teams): Top two teams from the Eastern Conference and the Central Conference. Top team from Mid-South, Southeast, Northwest, Southwest divisions.
USASA (8 teams): Top two teams from each of the four regions. |
The qualifying format for the 2008 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup will look a lot like the 2007 format, according to the United Soccer Leagues Web site.
An official announcement hasn’t been made by U.S. Soccer, which runs the tournament.
Each league participating in the Open Cup this year - Major League Soccer, USL First and Second Divisions, Premier Development League and the United States Adult Soccer Association - will have eight entries, marking the first time every league will have the same number of teams entered.
As has been previously reported by Major League Soccer team news releases, MLS again will use the play-in system that was introduced in 2007. It was the first year that the country’s top flight scheduled separate matches to narrow the number of clubs down to eight. The details of all of the play-in matches have not yet been released.
Once again, every U.S.-based USL First Division team will take part in the tournament - last year, two of those clubs advanced to the Open Cup semifinals (Seattle Sounders, Carolina RailHawks). As defending USL Second Division champions, the Harrisburg City Islanders are assurred a place in the tournament, along with the 2007 regular season champion, Richmond Kickers. The remaining seven teams will battle for the six remaining spots. The standings will be based on the same "point percentage" system that has been used for the last three years.
The major change for USL qualifying is found in the Premier Development League. The number of qualifying teams remains at eight, but how the teams will qualify will change. The Eastern and Central conferences each will send its top two teams, while the remaining four entries will be determined by division play. The best team from the Mid-South, Southeast, Northwest, and Southwest divisions will punch their ticket for the tournament. The standings are based on results from pre-determined league games through May 26 that will double as Open Cup qualifiers.
USASA qualifying remains unchanged, with each of the four regions sending their top two teams to the Open Cup.
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