DETROIT – Detroit City Football Club will host NPSL side Michigan Rangers FC in the first round of the 2026 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup at 7:30 pm on Tuesday, March 17th, at Keyworth Stadium. The game will see Detroit City begin its ninth appearance in U.S. Soccer’s historic national club championship. For Michigan Rangers, it’s the first endeavor in the cup for the three-year-old club.
Last season, Detroit City entered the tournament in the third round, hosting USL League One side Westchester SC at Keyworth Stadium. A three-goal second half from Le Rouge would see Detroit advance with a 3-1 victory. Detroit would advance on to face MLS side Chicago Fire FC in the Round of 32, but it was a night to forget for DCFC, as Gregg Berhalter’s side would walk away with a 4-0 victory.
Michigan Rangers will make their debut in the US Open Cup this season after grabbing a NPSL qualifier spot after an incredible 2025 season. Rangers finished top of the Midwest Region Central States Conference on 24 points, qualifying them as the one seed for the Central States Conference playoffs. They would go on to defeat FC Pride 2-1 in the final, claiming the club’s first-ever trophy.
Detroit City has been a giant killer in the US Open Cup over the past few seasons. The 2022 edition featured Le Rouge drawn against the Columbus Crew of Major League Soccer at Keyworth Stadium. Although Detroit City FC fell behind early, they dominated much of the game. Their efforts paid off in the second half with a brace from Maxi Rodriguez, earning them a spot in the Round of 32. The 2024 edition saw Detroit City eliminate the defending Open Cup champion Houston Dynamo FC in the Round of 32 in an exhilarating 11-round penalty shootout.
This year’s tournament will have a few format changes, including seven rounds—one fewer than recent editions. A total of 80 teams will compete for a $1 million prize pool and a spot in the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup. Due to the changes, only 48 professional teams will participate, down from 64 last season.
The First Round will feature 32 matches, with amateur sides facing off against opponents from the USL Championship, USL League One, or MLS NEXT Pro. The 32 winners from the First Round will then face off in a Second-Round matchup on March 31 or April 1.
The 16 teams advancing from the Second Round will each play against one of the 16 Division I MLS teams in the Round of 32 on April 14 or 15. Of these MLS teams, eight will play at home, and eight will play away. The remaining 32 teams will compete until only four semifinalists remain in May, after which the tournament pauses until the semifinals on September 15 or 16. The final match will kick off on Wednesday, October 21.
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is U.S. Soccer’s premier club tournament, held annually since 1914, except in 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19. This historic knockout competition is single-elimination and open to all professional and amateur teams affiliated with U.S. Soccer. It is the longest-standing national soccer tournament in the United States and ranks as the third-longest continuously run national cup worldwide. Unique among U.S. team sports, it allows amateurs to compete directly against professional teams.
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