Image credit: Tim Lutz

The qualifying rounds for the 2023 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup are set to begin this weekend and a few Philadelphia area clubs will be looking to punch their ticket to the tournament proper, which starts next March.

2023 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup qualifying schedule:

• September 17-18, 2022 – First Qualifying Round
• October 15-16, 2022 – Second Qualifying Round
• November 19-20, 2022 – Third Qualifying Round
• December, 17-18, 2022 – Fourth Qualifying Round

A total of nine slots in the 2023 tournament proper will be available to the teams left standing after the four rounds of qualifying competition. 107 amateur teams throughout America will be competing for those nine spots.

The U.S. Open Cup began in 1914 and is the oldest ongoing national soccer competition in the United States. Amateur, semi-pro and professional teams all compete together in one single elimination knock out tournament to determine a champion, making the U.S. Open Cup a unique tournament in the American sports landscape. Find out more about the history of the U.S. Open Cup at thecup.us.

Here is a look at the local teams looking to qualify for the history filled tournament:

• September 17 – Philadelphia Ukrainian Nationals vs West Chester United at the Ukrainian American Sport Center at 10 a.m.
  • Philadelphia Ukrainian Nationals from North Wales, PA are four time U.S. Open Cup champions (1960, 1961, 1963, 1966). Check out this article and video about when the Philadelphia Ukrainian Nationals ruled American soccer. 
  • West Chester United will be looking to make it back to back years playing in the U.S. Open Cup after playing in the 2022 tournament.
• September 18 – Vereinigung Erzgebirge vs Philadelphia Lone Star FC at Vereinigung Erzgebirge Clubhouse at 2 p.m.
  • Philadelphia Lone Star last made the tournament in 2019.
  • Vereinigung Erzgebirge out of Warminster, PA, qualified for the U.S. Open Cup in 2020 and 2021 but the tournament was ultimately cancelled those years.
• September 18 – Kensington SC vs United German Hungarians at The Proving Grounds Conshohocken at 7 p.m.
  • Kensington SC is looking to make the U.S. Open Cup for the first time in club history.
  • United German Hungarians are looking to make the U.S. Open Cup for the first time since 1999.

The 2023 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup will begin March 20, 2023 and the final is scheduled for September 27, 2023.