As part of the qualification criteria for official North American cup competitions during the 2025 and 2026 seasons, the 2025 US Open Cup will feature 16 MLS teams and 10 MLS NEXT Pro teams.
The 16 participating MLS teams are determined as follows:
- Only US-based clubs are eligible to participate in the US Open Cup.
- MLS teams not competing in Leagues Cup or Concacaf Champions Cup automatically qualify for the US Open Cup. For the 2025 tournament, this accounts for 9 of the 16 MLS teams.
- The remaining teams are determined by Supporters’ Shield standings, excluding teams competing in Concacaf Champions Cup. For the 2025 tournament, this accounts for seven of the 16 MLS teams.
The 16 competing MLS teams will enter the US Open Cup in the Round of 32, with eight of those teams hosting their opening matches. The 10 MLS NEXT Pro teams will enter the tournament in the First Round.
- Austin FC
- Charlotte FC
- Chicago Fire FC
- D.C. United
- FC Dallas
- Houston Dynamo FC
- Minnesota United FC
- Nashville SC
- New England Revolution
- New York City FC
- New York Red Bulls
- Orlando City SC
- Philadelphia Union
- Portland Timbers
- San Jose Earthquakes
- St. Louis CITY SC
Additionally, 10 MLS NEXT Pro teams will compete in the 2025 US Open Cup:
Eastern Conference
- Carolina Core FC (Independent)
- Chattanooga FC (Independent)
- Columbus Crew 2
- FC Cincinnati 2
- Inter Miami CF II
Western Conference
- LAFC 2
- Real Monarchs
- Sporting KC II
- Tacoma Defiance
- Ventura County FC
MLS club participation in North American cup competitions rewards club performance, manages player workload and ensures every MLS club can compete in at least one, but no more than two, North American competitions that run concurrently with the MLS league season.
This qualification structure will be in place for the 2025 and 2026 MLS seasons, providing a guideline for MLS’ qualification parameters as the FIFA 2025 Club World Cup and FIFA 2026 World Cup are played in North America.
This process will be re-evaluated for 2027 as the competition landscape continues to evolve.
