Tuesday, the United States Soccer Federation and the U.S. Open Cup finally released information pertaining to this year’s tournament after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
U.S. Soccer has confirmed a modern-era record 103 clubs for participation in the 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, U.S. Soccer’s National Championship. The process for determining matchups for the tournament has also been confirmed.
The 107th edition of the history-filled annual tournament kicks off March 22 with a record number of pro teams joining the country’s best amateur sides to compete for the most important trophy offered by U.S. Soccer to its member clubs.
USSoccer.com
As mentioned, there will be 103 total clubs taking part in this year’s tournament which is a record up from 99 back in 2017.
And certainly, the perception is that 103 up from 99 is a good thing right? More teams competing must mean that soccer is in a good place in the United States…
Unfortunately, any notion that more must mean better is simply not the case, especially when it comes to the Open Cup. Major League Soccer continues to run rough shot over the entire system while the Federation simply sits back and lets it happen. Meanwhile, the lower divisions continue to be a divided mess as outlined by this good Twitter thread from Chris Kessell.
NISA continues to be a mess
As of Tuesday night, it seems like the general consensus among lower-league soccer supporters was the holdup in the Open Cup details was NISA and the uncertainty surrounding the number of teams who would be playing in their upcoming season.
When the Open Cup announced the teams competing out of NISA, three teams were absent from that list who either didn’t jump up to USL Championship in Detroit City FC or who are under new ownership in Albion San Diego. Those three teams were Stumptown AC (which was expected), however, the other two, Chicago House AC and New Amsterdam FC, were not initially expected to both not compete in NISA in 2022 and this year’s installment of the Open Cup.
New Amersterdam released the following statement on Twitter claiming they’re still “considering” playing in NISA and the Open Cup but can’t commit to a League who has “failed to provide us with financial statements.”
Meanwhile, Chicago House didn’t release a statement publicly, however, House founding member Peter Wilt tweeted Tuesday that the Club is working with NISA to play in the league this upcoming season.
Moving forward though, supporters of clubs currently playing in NISA have to be concerned about the sustainability of the league (considering the drama) in a system where professional soccer leagues are there one year and gone the next.