When Is the 2027 U.S. Open Cup Draw? What to Know Before the First Round
U.S. Soccer has said the 2027 First Round pairings will be announced in early 2027. It hasn't named a date yet. For 2026, the First Round draw came out on January 27, about seven weeks before the first games.
The 2027 First Round is scheduled for April 13-14 and April 20-21.
It's not a fully random draw
The early rounds are paired by geography to keep travel down. U.S. Soccer pairs teams on geography and the math of a single-elimination bracket. It only uses random selection when there's no logical geographic match.
Each First Round matchup is also tied to a Round of 64 entrant when it's announced. So the day the First Round pairings come out, every First Round tie will already know which MLS club or seeded USL Championship club its winner plays next, in July.
When the rest of the bracket fills in
- Early 2027: First Round pairings, linked to Round of 64 opponents.
- April 13-14 and 20-21: First Round.
- July 8-11: Round of 64. Round of 64 entrants get priority to host.
- After the Round of 64: a live draw sets the Round of 32 and the Round of 16. Lower-division teams that are still alive get priority to host in the Round of 32.
- September 14-15: Round of 32.
Who is in the First Round
- 32 professional teams from Division II and Division III. If more are eligible than there are places, USL Championship and USL League One standings decide who gets in.
- 32 amateur teams: 16 from the fall 2026 Qualifying Rounds and 16 that earned byes through their 2026 results.
Follow along
This site will post the 2027 bracket once the First Round pairings are announced. Until then, here's the 2027 format and schedule and the complete 2026 bracket.