Open Cup

Ballard FC is proud to announce our qualification and planned participation in the 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The U.S. Open Cup is the oldest soccer competition in the country’s history, with the first-ever edition taking place in 1914. After participating for the first time in 2024, Ballard FC will compete in the Open Cup for the second straight year.

In 2024, Ballard FC qualified by winning the USL League Two (USL 2) National Championship. This year, Ballard FC was one of nine USL 2 clubs to receive and accept and invitation based on the club’s 2024 USL 2 regular season record. The other eight clubs from USL 2 are Asheville City SC, Corpus Christi FC, Des Moines Menace, Flatirons FC, Little Rock Rangers, Long Island Rough Riders, Sarasota Paradise, and Ventura County Fusion. The first round of the tournament will be in mid-March with more details to be released in February.

In the event that we host, season ticket holders will receive first access to tickets and special discounted rates for the 2025 U.S. Open Cup matches featuring Ballard FC. Purchase season tickets today.

After getting a taste of the cup in 2024, Ballard FC is hungry for more in 2025. “Every season, one of our goals is to qualify for the U.S. Open Cup. Last season was a great learning experience as we had to get our team, and entire operation together about two months earlier than normal. Now, we’re prepared to do it again this year and are confident in our ability to compete and make a run!” said Sam Zisette, club President and Co-Founder.

The U.S. Open Cup is a single-elimination style tournament with teams from all divisions of American soccer. All professional teams across the U.S. Soccer pyramid receive automatic qualification while any amateuer/semi-professional teams (like Ballard FC) qualify through their league standing. Locally, the Seattle Sounders have won four Open Cup titles while many other Washington teams have participated in past editions. Perhaps the most notable Washington U.S Open Cup match took place in 2016 when Kitsap Pumas faced off against the Sounders at Starfire Stadium where the Sounders won 2-0. For more information on the Open Cup’s structure and history, head to their Wikipedia page.

Last year, Ballard FC hosted USL League One club, Spokane Velocity, at Memorial Stadium in front of nearly 2,500 fans. In the end, the Velocity won 1-0 with the lone goal coming late in stoppage time. This year, Ballard FC will be looking for their first Open Cup win. And, they have the perfect coach to guide them to victory.

Ballard FC head coach James Riley won five U.S. Open Cup trophies as a player, three of which he won with the Sounders. Now Riley looks forward to leading a cup run as head coach, “The U.S. Open Cup is one of the most prestigious and historic competitions in American soccer history. I was honored to play in the competition and win it five times as a player. Now, I am excited and grateful for the opportunity to coach Ballard FC in the cup.”

The U.S. Open Cup is a huge opportunity. It is a chance for Ballard FC to make an imprint not just on USL 2, but the nation’s soccer landscape as a whole. We invite all our supporters and the entire community to enjoy and experience this incredible cup journey with us. Stay tuned as more information about the first round match up is coming soon.

This year, 96 clubs will compete in the U.S. Open Cup, with 16 of them being from Major League Soccer. Read more about this year’s Open Cup.