Detroit City FC Draws Michigan Rangers FC in 2026 U.S. Open Cup First Round
- Jonathan Turner
- Jan 27
- 2 min read
NATIONAL SOCCER NEWS: www.nationalsoccernetwork.com
DETROIT – Detroit City Football Club will open its 2026 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup campaign at home, hosting NPSL side Michigan Rangers FC in the First Round on Tuesday, March 17, at 7:30 p.m. ET at Keyworth Stadium. The match marks Detroit City’s ninth appearance in U.S. Soccer’s historic national club championship, while Michigan Rangers will be making their Open Cup debut.
Detroit City FC enters the tournament with a long history in the competition, including several memorable runs in recent years. Last season, Le Rouge joined the tournament in the Third Round, defeating USL League One side Westchester SC 3-1 at Keyworth Stadium behind a dominant three-goal second half. That victory advanced Detroit to the Round of 32, where the club fell 4-0 to MLS side Chicago Fire FC.
Michigan Rangers FC earned their place in the 2026 U.S. Open Cup following an outstanding 2025 NPSL season. The three-year-old club finished atop the Midwest Region Central States Conference with 24 points, securing the No. 1 seed in the conference playoffs. The Rangers capped the season by defeating FC Pride 2-1 in the conference final, lifting the first trophy in club history and clinching their Open Cup berth.
Detroit City has built a reputation as one of the tournament’s most dangerous lower-division sides. In 2022, DCFC stunned MLS side Columbus Crew at Keyworth Stadium, rallying from an early deficit behind a brace from Maxi Rodríguez to advance to the Round of 32. More recently, in the 2024 edition, Detroit City eliminated defending champion Houston Dynamo FC in a dramatic 11-round penalty shootout.
The 2026 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup will feature a revised format, consisting of seven total rounds, one fewer than in recent editions. Eighty teams will compete for a $1 million prize pool and a berth in the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup. Due to the changes, 48 professional teams will participate, down from 64 a season ago.
The First Round will include 32 matches, pairing amateur clubs against teams from the USL Championship, USL League One, and MLS NEXT Pro. First Round winners will advance to the Second Round, scheduled for March 31 or April 1. From there, the 16 remaining teams will face Division I MLS opposition in the Round of 32 on April 14 or 15. The tournament will continue through May before pausing, with the semifinals set for September 15 or 16 and the final scheduled for Wednesday, October 21.
First played in 1914, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is U.S. Soccer’s premier club competition and the longest-running national soccer tournament in the United States. The single-elimination format is open to both professional and amateur teams, creating one of the few competitions in American sports where clubs from all levels can compete for a national title.
For more information on Detroit City FC, visit detcityfc.com and follow the club on X and Facebook at @DetroitCityFC, and on Instagram at @detroitcityfootballclub.
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