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FC Cincinnati won't have a presence in the 2024 U.S. Open Cup. Here's why

pat brennan, cincinnati enquirer
·3 min read

FC Cincinnati won't have a presence in the 2024 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

That reality was illuminated Friday when Major League Soccer and U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) officials announced how MLS would engage in the 2024 Open Cup, which will include eight MLS first-team clubs and 11 MLS Next Pro reserve sides.

The eight MLS clubs will include Houston Dynamo FC, the competition's defending champion, and the top seven ranked U.S.-based teams according to the 2023 MLS Supporters’ Shield standings, other than clubs playing in the 2024 CONCACAF Champions Cup. Therefore, FC Cincinnati wasn't permitted to participate due to its ongoing involvement in the Champions Cup.

Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) shakes hands with FC Cincinnati midfielder Luciano Acosta (10) at the conclusion of a U.S. Open Cup semifinal match between Inter Miami and FC Cincinnati, Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023, at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati.
Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) shakes hands with FC Cincinnati midfielder Luciano Acosta (10) at the conclusion of a U.S. Open Cup semifinal match between Inter Miami and FC Cincinnati, Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023, at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati.

FC Cincinnati being ruled out from the Open Cup results in a temporary pause in the club's proud history in the tournament. FC Cincinnati had been one of the biggest contributors of narrative and intrigue to the Open Cup over the last decade.

FC Cincinnati Chicago Fire Preview, prediction for FC Cincinnati-Chicago Fire FC at Soldier Field

Then a member of the second-division United Soccer League, Cincinnati's Cinderella run to the semifinal round of the competition in 2017 helped boost, and maybe cinch, the club's bid for an MLS expansion slot. FCC returned to the semifinal round in 2023 and hosted one of the marquee club matches on North American soil last summer when Lionel Messi's Inter Miami CF visited TQL Stadium, and ultimately progressed via penalty-kick shootout.

During those Open Cup tournament runs and others, FC Cincinnati added memorable goals, penalty-kick saves and anointed heroes in club lore. The pages of the club's history book reserved for the 2024 Open Cup will be left blank, though.

In a club statement provided to The Enquirer, FC Cincinnati officials stated they were pleased MLS would be involved in the 2024 Open Cup, which had been in doubt. But the statement also indicated FCC would seek to involve itself in the Open Cup again in the future.

"FC Cincinnati is pleased that Major League Soccer and the U.S. Soccer Federation have reached an agreement to guarantee there will be a U.S. Open Cup in 2024," Cincinnati officials said in their statement. "We are thrilled that the agreement results in the commitment from U.S. Soccer to increase its investment in the U.S. Open Cup. In our short history, FC Cincinnati has always prioritized the U.S. Open Cup, and we are proud to note that some of the most compelling Open Cup matches over the last 8 years have been hosted in Cincinnati.

"As we look ahead to 2025, we believe that each MLS franchise should be given the option to decide their own approach to participating in Open Cup. Our team and staff want every opportunity to compete for trophies, and never want to be excluded from such competitions. While we are not allowed to participate in 2024, we will work with MLS and U.S. Soccer communicating these aspirations, with hopes that we can change the outcome for the 2025 Open Cup."

Alterations to the tournament format were also agreed upon and confirmed Friday as MLS teams will only play lower division opponents until it cannot be avoided. A working group would convene to determine the format and MLS involvement for the 2025 competition and beyond, officials confirmed during a Friday news conference staged via Zoom.

Friday's announcement was the end result of months of negotiations as MLS sought to alter the economics of the tournament, as well as protect the interests of its clubs as player workloads had been pushed to relative extremes in recent years due to additional matches and competitions, such as expanded MLS Cup playoffs and Leagues Cup.

The conversations involving MLS and USSF focused on increasing the overall investment in the Open Cup, including improved economics for all participants, providing young players with important developmental opportunities, reducing schedule congestion for MLS clubs, and addressing load management concerns to aid player health and safety.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: FC Cincinnati won't have a presence in the 2024 U.S. Open Cup