Preliminary plans for the 2024 edition of the U.S. Open Cup have been approved by a subcommittee of the U.S. Soccer Federation board of directors. The tournament is expected to have a hybrid format with not every MLS team participating. The exact level of participation from MLS and USL clubs is still being determined.
The decision to hold the tournament in 2024 comes after uncertainty arose when MLS announced that its first teams would not take part in the competition. Instead, teams from MLS Next Pro would be involved. This move by MLS seemed to conflict with the USSF's Professional League Standards, which require topflight outdoor league teams to participate in all eligible U.S. Soccer and CONCACAF competitions.
