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Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup: format, pathway and stakes for Didomizio FC
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is the country’s oldest ongoing national soccer competition, played annually in a single-elimination bracket open to U.S. Soccer–affiliated clubs across professional and amateur tiers [1]. Lower-division and amateur sides enter through qualifying and early rounds, while MLS and other professional teams join later, a structure that routinely sets up true “cupset” chances [1].Beyond the trophy and prize money, the champion secures a berth in the CONCACAF Champions Cup, North America’s top club tournament and the regional pathway to continental honors [1][2]. For Los Angeles outfits such as Didomizio FC, that open format can deliver local derbies, MLS tests, and national visibility when the draw falls their way — the kind of platform that can shape a season [1].