ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Asheville City Soccer Club will host the Greenville Triumph in the first round of the 2026 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup at 6:30 p.m. March 18.
The matchup comes exactly one year after the two sides met in the same tournament. In that 2025 meeting, Asheville City pushed the professional Triumph to a scoreless draw before falling in penalty kicks.
This marks the third consecutive year Asheville City has qualified for the U.S. Open Cup. The Blues made their tournament debut in 2024, losing 2-0 to former USL2 rival One Knoxville.
About the U.S. Open Cup
The U.S. Open Cup, founded in 1913 as the National Challenge Cup, is the oldest ongoing national soccer competition in the United States. It features 80 teams in the 2026 edition, representing nine leagues: MLS, USL Championship, USL1, USL2, MLS Next Pro, NPSL, UPSL, USSSA, and USASA. The tournament was renamed the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in 1999 to honor Hunt, a U.S. businessman who promoted the sport nationally.
MLS teams have dominated the competition since entering in 1996. The last lower-division winner was the Rochester Raging Rhinos in 1999. Since then, only three lower-division teams have reached the final: Rochester in 1996, Charleston Battery in 2008 and Sacramento Republic FC in 2022.
North Carolina teams
No North Carolina team has ever reached the tournament final. Five teams from the state will compete in 2026: Asheville City, MLS’ Charlotte FC, USL1’s Charlotte Independence, MLS Next Pro’s Carolina Core FC and USL2 newcomer Hickory FC. The last lower-division team from North Carolina to reach the quarterfinals was the NASL’s Carolina Railhawks in 2014.
Asheville City is one of 10 USL2 clubs to qualify this year. Historically, USL2 teams have struggled to advance beyond the second round, though notable performances include FC Golden State Force reaching the Round of 32 in 2018 and the Richmond Kickers winning the tournament in 1995.
Tournament format
The U.S. Open Cup consists of seven rounds. The first round, March 17-19, matches 32 amateur clubs against 32 professional teams, usually on a regional basis. Winners advance to the second round (March 31-April 1), and the 16 survivors meet the 16 MLS teams in the third round (April 14-15). From that point, the tournament follows a single-elimination format through the Sweet 16, quarterfinals (May 19-20), semifinals (Sept. 15-16), and the final on October 21.
The U.S. Open Cup is known for “cupsets,” where lower-division teams defeat higher-tier opponents, adding to the tournament’s national appeal and excitement.