Open Cup History
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is the oldest national soccer competition in the United
States, first contested in 1914 as the National Challenge Cup. For over 110 years it
has been the proving ground for clubs at every level of the American soccer pyramid,
from semi-professional community sides to the continent's top professional clubs.
The Eras
- 1914–1929: The Birth of a Tradition
- 1930–1959: The Amateur Era & Wartime Pause
- 1960–1994: St. Louis & the Indoor Era
- 1995–2008: The MLS Era Begins
- 2009–present: Expansion & the Modern Open Cup