All 56 entries will participate in the first qualifying round, scheduled for Oct. 17-18 and Oct. 24-25, with the 28 winners playing each other in the second qualifying round, set for Nov. 14-15 and Nov. 21-22. Twelve of the 14 second qualifying round winners in closest proximity to each other will compete in the third qualifying round, to be held April 2-3, 2016. The remaining two winners will be awarded the first two slots into the 2016 U.S. Open Cup from the Open Division local qualifying track and will be joined by the six victors from the third qualifying round. The exact matchups for the third qualifying round will be determined once the 14 winners from the preceding round are known. The first round proper will be held May 11, 2016, with the remaining match dates set later this year.The matches are as follows: (all times Eastern)
October 17
12 p.m. — Southie FC (Roxbury, MA) at Battery Park Gunners (Roxbury, MA)
2 p.m. — Salone FC (Philadelphia, PA) at Vereinigung Erzgebirge (Warminster, PA)
3 p.m. — Tartan Devils Oak Avalon (Pittsburgh, PA) at Aromas Café FC (Charlottesville, VA)
5 p.m. — Newport FC (Portsmouth, RI) at Worcester FC (Auburn, MA)
6:30 p.m. — West Chester United (Wayne, PA) at Junior Lone Star FC (Drexel Hill, PA)
7 p.m. — South Jersey Elite Barons (Hammonton, NJ) at Jersey Shore Boca (Bayville, NJ)
7:30 p.m. — Newtown Pride FC (Sandy Hook, CT) at Lansdowne Bhoys FC (Bronx, NY)
October 18
10 a.m. — Boston Olympiakos FC (Boston, MA) at Global Premier Soccer (GPS) Omens (Wayland, MA)
3 p.m. — Maryland Bays (Elkridge, MD) at Dulles Sportsplex Aegean Hawks FC (Boyds, MD)
6 p.m. — New York Pancyprian Freedoms (Jamaica, NY) at New York Greek American SC (Maspeth, NY)
OCT. 24
4 p.m. — NTX Rayados (Dallas, TX) at Austin Real Cuauhtemoc (Georgetown, TX)
6 p.m. — Red Force FC (Pembroke Pines, FL) at Uruguay Kendall FC (Pembroke Pines, FL)
7:30 p.m. — Colorado Rovers (Commerce City, CO) at Harpo’s FC (Commerce City, CO)
9 p.m. — La Maquina (Lake Forest, CA) at Strikers FC South Coast (Lake Forest, CA)
10 p.m. — Chula Vista FC (Chula Vista, CA) at Temecula Football Club (Temecula, CA)
10 p.m. — KC Athletics (Overland Park, KS) at I.P.S. (Portland, OR)
10 p.m. — San Nicolas FC (Chino, CA) at Corinthians USA (Rialto, CA)
10 p.m. — Footballers Academy (Irvine, CA) at San Pedro Monsters FC (San Pedro, CA)
10:30 p.m. — Del Rey City SC (Playa Del Rey, CA) at LA Wolves FC (Manhattan Beach, CA)
October 25
2 p.m. — Tobacco Road FC (Raleigh, NC) at CD Motagua (New Orleans, LA)
3 p.m. — Davis Legacy (Davis, CA) at International Fútbol X-Change (IFX) Ballistic (Livermore, CA)
3 p.m. — El Farolito (San Francisco, CA) at San Francisco City Football Club (San Francisco, California)
4:30 p.m. — Boca Raton Football Club (Boca Raton, FA) at Real Miami Club of Football (North Miami, FL)
5 p.m. — Valley United SC (North Hills, CA) at Cal FC (Agoura Hills, CA)
6 p.m. — Outbreak FC (Long Beach, CA) at Buena Park FC (La Palma, California)
7 p.m. — Charlotte Sporting Soccer Academy FC (Charlotte, NC) at Queen City United FC (Charlotte, NC)
7 p.m. — Colorado Rush (Wheat Ridge, CO) at FC Boulder (Boulder, CO)
7 p.m. — Real Sociedad (Bellflower, CA) vs. Ozzy’s Laguna FC (Monterey Park, CA)
The only problem I can see is the KC Athletics match because they are the only team that has to travel more than 100 miles for their game. To me, that is unconscionable. At this early stage, how has no other Oregon team given them any competition? I understand there is a tournament up there in Cascadia that takes precedence in that area over the US Open Cup, but where else can any amateur team in Washington and Oregon get to play against the big boys of the US? Anyways, get out to your local US Open Cup game.
I will announce the 2nd qualifying round pairings after the completion of the 1st qualifying round.
