The opportunity to make history comes to TQL Stadium as FC Cincinnati is set to host Inter Miami CF on August 23 for the semifinals of the 2023 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. Tickets for the match go on sale Friday, June 30 at 10 a.m. for the general public with early access windows for 2024 season ticket deposit buyers at 9 a.m. and additional tickets for 2023 season ticket holders at 9:30 a.m.
The U.S. Open Cup champion will receive $300,000 in prize money and have their name engraved on the historic Dewar Challenge Trophy. This trophy, one of the oldest in American team sports, is permanently exhibited at the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Frisco, Texas.
Here are three compelling reasons why attending the match is a must:
Trophies on the Line
With a berth in the 2023 U.S. Open Cup Final on the line, the match provides an opportunity to move one step closer to earning the first trophy for FC Cincinnati since joining MLS.
This is the Orange and Blue’s second time reaching the USOC semifinals, first doing so during the club’s historic run in 2017 as a member of the USL; defeating two MLS sides en route to the semis before falling to the New York Red Bulls.
Should FCC advance past Miami, the club will either travel to face Real Salt Lake, or host Houston Dynamo FC at TQL Stadium, in the U.S. Open Cup Final on September 27.
Potential GOAT Sighting
Argentinian superstar Lionel Messi is reportedly set to join Inter Miami CF during the upcoming summer transfer window and would be eligible to play in the match.
Joining Miami in late July after a transfer from French side Paris Saint-Germain, the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner would only be making one stop in Cincinnati this regular season as “The Herons” have already made their trip to TQL stadium back in April in MLS play. FCC though will make the trip to Miami for their regular season match with Inter on October 7.
Berth in the Concacaf Champions Cup
A U.S. Open Cup championship is one of many ways FC Cincinnati can qualify for the newly renamed Concacaf Champions Cup , which pits the best teams from North America, Central America and the Caribbean in a knockout format tournament.
Recently renamed from the Concacaf Champions League, the Champions Cup will feature 27 teams from as many as 12 countries. FC Cincinnati has several opportunities to qualify for the competition, including the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, the Leagues Cup, and MLS play. No American team has qualified yet, though teams from Mexico and Canada have already punched their ticket via their own qualifying tournaments.
About The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, now in its 108th edition, is U.S. Soccer's National Championship. It has crowned a champion every year since 1914, excluding 2020 and 2021. The tournament follows a single-game knockout format and welcomes both professional and amateur teams affiliated with U.S. Soccer. In 1999, the competition's name was changed to honor influential American soccer pioneer Lamar Hunt.
Orlando City SC are defending Open Cup champions, having earned the club's first tournament title thanks to a 3-0 victory against second-division (USL Championship) side Sacramento Republic FC on September 7, 2022 before a capacity crowd at Orlando’s Exploria Stadium.
How we got here:
Third Round: 1-0 win over Louisville City FC at TQL Stadium
Round of 32: 1-0 win over New York City FC at TQL Stadium
Round of 16: 1-1 (5-3) win over New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey
Quarterfinals: 3-1 win over Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC at TQL Stadium
Tickets can be purchased by visiting FCCincinnati.com/Tickets or by calling (513) 977-5425 (KICK). 2023 FC Cincinnati Season Ticket Members have an exclusive window to purchase tickets in their current seats by 5 p.m. ET today.
