For the first time since 2023, Philadelphia Union will participate in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, the country’s oldest ongoing national soccer competition. It’s a single-elimination tournament open to all affiliated amateur and professional teams in the United States, and the Boys and Blue will start their campaign in the Round of 32.
Philly is one of 16 MLS clubs competing, and while they could face familiar foes later in the tournament, they first have to get past USL side Indy Eleven on Wednesday night at Subaru Park. To watch all the action, get your tickets now by clicking here or tune in on Paramount +.
The matchup will be Head Coach Bradley Carnell's squad's first midweek head-to-head of the year, and although it’s a quick turnaround from their weekend visit to C.F. Montreal, the group is energized from three straight MLS wins. With another three points added for a total of 22, Philadelphia Union secured a second place spot in the Eastern Conference standings before turning their focus toward their Open Cup opener against Indy Eleven.
On Tuesday, Carnell met with the media to preview the upcoming contest, ensuring that winning is always a priority for his group, even outside of league play.
“I think you want to be competitive in every game, and I think we have a game model and a squad to be competitive in everything we do,” Carnell said.
“As a player, I've been on the winning end of big cup competitions. So I know what it means – trophies, silverware. Especially the way the format is set out this year, it's four games to a final, and that's our full focus for tomorrow. We want to come out flying.”
Philadelphia Union’s road to a trophy is clear – should they win four Open Cup matches, they’d find themselves in the tournament's final for the fourth time in club history, having made it that far in 2014, 2015, and 2018.
“We want to win the next game, and whether that's three points on the line or progression through a round of a cup competition, I think we have a group that's hungry. We have a dynamic and motivated group that's eager, hungry, willing and excited about the new challenges,” Carnell said.
