A rivalry is born: Lexington SC, Louisville City FC to collide in soccer’s U.S. Open Cup
Just one month into its first season as a pro sports franchise, Lexington Sporting Club will have an opportunity to play for a U.S. championship — and to advance through the tournament Central Kentucky’s new soccer team will face off against an established rival in Louisville.
Lexington Sporting Club, a 2023 expansion franchise in USL League One, will participate in the 108th annual Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in the first week in April. The tournament is open to all professional and amateur teams affiliated with the United States Soccer Federation.
USL League One is the third tier of men’s professional soccer in the United States beneath Major League Soccer and the USL Championship level.
Lexington Sporting Club will play Louisville City FC in the U.S. Open Cup sometime between April 4 and 6 at Lynn Family Stadium in downtown Louisville, with the official date and time of the match still to be determined.
Because Louisville City FC, which was established in 2015, plays one league above Lexington Sporting Club in USL Championship — where it has won two league titles and remains a perennial power — this is a rare opportunity to see the two squads go head-to-head. It will also be the first-ever meeting between the clubs.
Louisville City’s best finish in a U.S. Open Cup came in 2018 when it advanced to the quarterfinals. While lower-level teams often create excitement in the single-elimination tournament, ultimately it is won by a team from the MLS. Since Major League Soccer debuted in 1996, MLS clubs have won the U.S. Open Cup every year but one.
The winner of the 2023 U.S. Open Cup will receive $300,000 in prize money, with the runner-up getting $100,000. The team that advances the furthest from each lower division will take home $25,000.
Last year, Orlando City SC of the MLS defeated Sacramento Republic FC of USL Championship in the finals. The best showing in 2022 by a USL League One franchise was by Union Omaha, which reached the quarterfinals. Louisville City FC was eliminated in the round of 16.
The 2023 tournament gets underway March 21-23 with first-round matches featuring clubs below Lexington’s USL League One level.
Clubs from USL Championship and USL League One join the fray for the second round, which includes the Lexington SC vs. Louisville City FC match in April. Teams from the MLS enter the event in the third round, which will take place April 25-26. The Open Cup will continue to whittle teams throughout the summer until arriving at the championship match on Sept. 27.
Lexington Sporting Club was created last fall to join the 14-team USL League One starting in March 2023.
The league also includes teams from Fresno, Calif.; Charlotte, N.C.; Chattanooga, Tenn.; Madison, Wis.; Greenville, S.C.; Knoxville, Tenn.; Cary, N.C.; Windsor, Colo.; Richmond, Va.; Statesboro, Ga.; Omaha, Neb.; Santa Barbara, Calif.; and Spokane, Wash.
Lexington Sporting Club opens its inaugural season in USL League One on March 18 at One Knoxville SC. The team’s home opener is set for April 8 against Forward Madison FC.
