Following a lopsided Second Qualifying Round, the penultimate Qualifying Round for the 2027 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup featured a much more competitive collection of matches. Of the 30 matches from last weekend’s Third Qualifying Round, more than half were decided by one goal or a penalty kick shootout.
Three matches were decided by penalty kick shootout, but none were more exciting than the high-scoring, intra-city clash between the UPSL’s Philadelphia Lone Star FC and the APSL’s WC Predators. The Predators—seeking their fifth consecutive Final Qualifying Round appearance—jumped out to a 3-0 halftime lead before the Stars mounted a three-goal second-half comeback to send the match to extra time. After the team traded goals in extra time, the match advanced to a shootout, where the Stars claimed an improbable 4-3 victory to move closer to their first Tournament Proper appearance since 2019.
Like Philadelphia Lone Star FC, fellow UPSL side Omaha Street FC took down 1994 Open Cup finalists and six-time Amateur Cup-winning Milwaukee Bavarians in a high-scoring contest decided by a shootout. The two-year-old Nebraska side—eyeing its first Tournament Proper appearance—raced out to a 3-0 lead inside the first 15 minutes before the Bavarians scored the next four goals across regular and extra time. A late goal in extra time from former Union Omaha man Noe Meza ensured the match would be decided in a shootout, which Omaha Street ultimately won, 4-2.
Other notable results included The League for Clubs side FORO SC securing an improbable victory against USL League Two’s Denton Diablos. In a match marred by injuries to each teams’ goalkeepers, FORO was able to advance to the Final Qualifying Round after forward Jorge Delgado helped his side to a 2-1 victory by suiting up as ‘keeper for 60 minutes. In Miami, UPSL side Florida Badgers FC hung on to defeat Premier Futbol League side Dreamers AFC in extra time, 5-4, after surrendering a three-goal lead in regulation. In Southern California, San Diego Internacional FC finally knocked off UPSL rival Laguna United FC after the latter eliminated San Diego in the previous two Final Qualifying Round.
In New Jersey, Garden State foes Bulldogs SC and FC Monmouth traded blows in a competitive contest. Monmouth nearly erased a four-goal deficit before coming up just short against the Bulldogs, who advance to the Final Qualifying Round for the first time in club history. Across the bay, the only two former champions participating in this year’s Qualifying Rounds—New York Greek American SC and NY Pancyprian Freedoms—both suffered unceremonious losses, falling to the APSL’s Lansdowne Yonkers FC and UPSL’s NY Renegades, respectively.
Further west, Colorado Premier League foes and frequent Qualifying Round opponents Harpos FC and FC Denver met in a closely contested match that ultimately went the way of Harpos thanks to Noah Hannula’s stoppage-time winner. In Little Rock, Oklahoma United FC defeated Arkansas Wolves 2 behind Nickell Alexander’s 13-minute hat trick in the first half. In other more lopsided contests, SCU Heat overwhelmed Mint Hill FC, 8-2, while Chicago Nation FC got the better of Chicago House AC, 3-0, in the pair’s first competitive contest. In one of the birthplaces of the Open Cup, Fall River FC also defeated KO Elites FC, 5-1, at Britland Park.
The Qualifying Rounds will conclude with the Final Qualifying Round, scheduled for Nov. 21-22, when the remaining 32 teams will compete for 16 spots in the Tournament Proper. There, they will face professional clubs beginning in April 2027.
Third Qualifying Round
Saturday, Oct. 31
Fall River FC (MA / UPSL) 5 – 1 KO Elites FC (CT / APSL / USASA)
Denton Diablos (TX / USL League Two) 1 – 2 FORO SC (TX / The League for Clubs / USASA)
SCU Heat (SC / UPSL) 8 – 2 Mint Hill FC (NC / NPSL / USASA)
Houston Lions FC (TX / United States Soccer League / USSSA) 2 – 4 ASC New Stars (TX / Houston Football Association / USASA)
Lansdowne Yonkers FC (NY / APSL / USASA) 6 – 1 New York Greek American SC (NY / APSL / USASA)
NY Renegades FC (NY / UPSL) 2 – 0 NY Pancyprian Freedoms (NY / APSL / USASA)
Laguna United FC (CA / UPSL) 2 – 5 San Diego Internacional FC (CA / UPSL)
Sunday, Nov. 1
Philadelphia Lone Star FC (PA / UPSL) 4 (4) – 4 (3) WC Predators (PA / APSL / USASA) (AET & PKs)
FC Omens (MA / Bay State Soccer League / USASA) 1 – 2 CD Faialense (MA / Bay State Soccer League / USASA)
Vereinigung Erzgebirge (PA / APSL / USASA) 3 – 0 Colonial SC (PA / APSL / USASA)
Shark Coast FC (FL / USL League Two) 0 – 1 Harbor City FC (FL / UPSL)
Omaha Street FC (NE / UPSL) 4 (4) – 4 (2) Milwaukee Bavarians (WI / Milwaukee Premier League / USASA) (AET & PKs)
Iron Rose FC (CA / The League for Clubs / USASA) 0 – 2 Bellevue Athletic FC (WA / UPSL)
RGV Red Crowns (TX / The League for Clubs / USASA) 2 (7) – 2 (6) ATX United (TX / Austin Men's Soccer Association / USASA) (AET & PKs)
Sin City Football Club (NV / NISA Nation / USASA) 3 – 4 Next Level Soccer Premier (AZ / UPSL)
Steel City FC (PA / USL League Two) 1 – 3 Akron City FC (OH / USL League Two)
New Jersey Alliance FC (NJ / UPSL) 1 – 2 SC Vistula Garfield (NJ / APSL / USASA)
Arkansas Wolves 2 (AR / UPSL) 3 – 4 Oklahoma United FC (OK / The League for Clubs / USASA)
FC Denver (CO / Colorado Premier League / USSSA) 1 – 2 Harpos FC (CO / Colorado Premier League / USSSA)
Pinellas County United Pelicans SC (FL / UPSL) 1 – 0 FC America CFL Spurs (FL / UPSL)
Yinz United (VA / Super Soccer League / USASA) 2 – 0 Bowleys Athletic (MD / UPSL)
Virginia Dream FC (VA / UPSL) 1 – 2 DC Hyper (DC / UPSL)
Bulldogs SC (NJ / UPSL) 5 – 4 FC Monmouth (NJ / The League for Clubs / USASA)
Swarm FC (GA / USL League Two) 3 – 1 Potros FC (GA / UPSL)
Chicago Nation FC (IL / UPSL) 3 – 0 Chicago House AC (IL / Midwest Premier League / USASA)
Dreamers AFC (FL / Premier Futbol League / USASA) 4 – 5 Florida Badgers FC (FL / UPSL) (AET)
CF San Rafael (CA / The League for Clubs / USASA) 2 – 4 Napa Valley 1839 FC (CA / The League for Clubs / USASA)
San Ramon FC (CA / The League for Clubs / USASA) 6 – 0 Oakland Stompers (CA / NPSL / USASA)
DC Monsters (CA / Southwest Premier League / USASA) 3 – 0 Olympiacos CA (CA / UPSL)
JSC Jasa (CA / Southwest Premier League / USASA) 2 – 1 SF Vikings SC (CA / San Francisco Soccer Football League / USASA)
Forfeit
Inter City FC (FL / UPSL) 1 – 0 Charlotte County FC (FL / NPSL-RL / USASA)
Tennessee Tempo FC (TN / UPSL) 1 – 0 Columbus Astray (OH / UPSL)
