The 2027 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup begins in New England this weekend, Saturday, October 3, and Sunday, October 4.
Though professional teams will not enter the fold until the tournament proper begins in April, qualifying has already begun for the Open Division. This includes Fourth Division and lower amateur sides from nationwide and regional leagues.
For the 112th edition of the tournament, a record eight teams (+1 from 2026) will participate in New England Open Qualifying: seven from Massachusetts and one from Connecticut.
Three sides hail from the Bay State Soccer League (BSSL) and United Premier Soccer League (UPSL), while an additional two compete in the American Premier Soccer League (APSL). All enter during the Second Qualifying Round, receiving first-round byes.
Nationwide Open Qualifying also shatters participation records: 155 teams will participate, up from 146 the previous year, with 63 games to be played this round. All teams will be vying for 16 total Open Division Qualifying berths, joining an additional 16 already qualified through winning their various leagues or conferences.
Most U.S. Open Cup Qualifiers are free to attend. If you can't make it to matches, livestreams or full match replays are usually available on the home team's YouTube page.
2nd Qualifying Round Matchups
CD Faialense (BSSL) vs. Brockton FC United (UPSL)
Time: Saturday 10/3, 7:00pm EST
Location: Malden, MA @ Malden Catholic High School
Where to Watch: In person (free!!), YouTube
Team Pages: CD Faialense, Brockton FC United
Two past Open Cup participants meet for their third head-to-head matchup in their earliest round yet - playing twice previously in the Third Qualifying Round.
The South Shore's Brockton FC United took a tight 3-2 victory during their first-ever qualification attempt during the 2024 U.S. Open Cup, eventually qualifying for the tournament itself for their second time ever (2022, 2024). Cambridge's CD Faialense returned the favor in 2026 Qualifying, earning a hard-fought 1-0 victory to later appear in their own second-ever U.S. Open Cup (2025, 2026).
Both sides with distinctive cultural roots, CD Faialense was originally founded 55 years ago by immigrants from Faial, an island in the Azores. Their connection to their past remains strong, these days boosted by talent hailing from local New England colleges.
Brockton FC United has its own proud history. Founded 20 years ago as Tarrafal FC, they maintain close ties with their Cape Verdean culture; their roster heavily features players from Massachusetts' South Shore and Rhode Island who aren't generationally far removed from their family's immigration from the small West African nation.
Both sides will be competing for a shot at qualifying for their third U.S. Open Cup. This matchup is likely to be hotly contested and will be worth a watch - from the bleachers or the couch.
South Coast Union (UPSL) vs. Fall River FC (UPSL)
Time: Sunday 10/4, 1:00pm EST
Location: New Bedford, MA @ Greater New Bedford Regional Vocational Technical High School
Where to Watch: In person (free!!), YouTube
Team Pages: South Coast Union, Fall River FC
A South Coast showdown!
It's been 94 years since the last time New Bedford has been represented in any form of the U.S. Open Cup - qualifying or tournament proper. South Coast Union will try their best to live up to their city's former team, the New Bedford Whalers, who won the 1932 edition of the tournament.
New Bedford aren't the only team with an Open Cup winner. Fall River is not only home to one championship-winning team, but five total. Fall River Rovers won the 1916-17 tournament (edition four), while Fall River FC – aka Fall River Marksmen – won four additional cups in the 1920s and 30s. In fact, the 1931 Fall River championship-winning team was actually the same franchise as the 1932 New Bedford side simply relocated.
The fabled name was dormant for a number of decades until the latest edition of the team began play in the late 2010s. Fall River FC look to be the favorite for this matchup with an in-league record of 4W-0D-2L for the Fall UPSL season. South Coast Union will hope the tournament will be a breath of fresh air from their own UPSL season, with a record of 0W-0D-5L.
FC Omens (BSSL) vs. Atletico Boston (BSSL)
Time: Sunday 10/4, 1:00pm EST
Location: West Roxbury, MA @ West Roxbury High School
Where to Watch: In person (free!!), YouTube
Team Pages: FC Omens, Atletico Boston
The only intra-city matchup in this round of Open Division Qualifying for New England, FC Omens and Atletico Boston will fight for the chance to represent Boston in the next round.
Atletico Boston, formerly Southie FC, have earned a berth in the tournament proper once before (2016). In their sixth attempt this year, they'll look to earn their second, and first since earning promotion to BSSL's top division league in 2023.
FC Omens, for their part, are participating in their eighth qualifying campaign, reaching the First Round in 2013-15 and 2017, making them the most experienced (modern era) club in this year's New England U.S. Open Cup Open Division hopefuls with four appearances. In that final year, they made their best finish ever, reaching the Third Round facing then-USL Championship side Rochester Rhinos, the most recent non-MLS champion.
Somerville United FC (APSL) vs. KO Elites FC (APSL)
Time: Sunday 10/4, 1:00pm EST
Location: Somerville, MA @ Dilboy Stadium
Where to Watch: In person (free!!), YouTube
Team Pages: Somerville United FC, KO Elites FC
It's Newcomer on Newcomer in the only New England cross-state matchup this year. Fresh off a debut season in which they won the Mayflower Conference at the first time of asking, Somerville United FC will host KO Elites FC of West Hartford, Connecticut, currently in their seventh year since their club's founding.
Between having hosting rights and winning eight of their ten matches across APSL and UPSL fall seasons so far, Somerville United FC are likely the favorites to come out with a win.
Either way, with no prior Open Cup qualifying experience on either side of this tie, Sunday afternoon is set up as a historic win for whoever comes out on top.
The winners of this weekend's matchups will advance to the Third Qualifying Round taking place on October 31 and November 1, where they'll be pitted against another regional opponent.
The Final Qualifying Round will be held on November 21 and 22, which will likely see two New England-based teams qualify for the U.S. Open Cup First Round next spring.
They'll join automatically qualified New Haven United FC (NPSL) and Vermont Green FC (USL2) to round out a group of four local amateur sides competing in the tournament proper - two more than last year (Vermont Green FC, CD Faialense).
Winning the tournament itself isn't likely against professional sides, but that doesn't mean nothing's on the line. The furthest-advancing Open Division team wins the John Motta Trophy, $50,000, and automatic First Round Qualification to the 2028 U.S. Open Cup - nothing to scoff at for teams with lower expenses than a professional club.
