Earlier today, U.S. Soccer announced the schedule for the Second Round of the 2026 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. With the draw, Republic FC is set to face Valley 559 FC of Fresno at the Fresno State Soccer Stadium on Tuesday, March 31. Kickoff is set for 7:00 p.m. and ticketing information will be shared by the host club. The match will also be broadcast on CBS Sports Golazo Network.
The Indomitable Club enters the Second Round following an extra time win over amateur side El Farolito on Wednesday night – the second straight year the Indomitable Club defeated the San Francisco side. After a scoreless 90 minutes, Forster Ajago’s extra time brace put Sacramento through to the second round. Sacramento has never lost its first match in every edition of the Open Cup it has participated in.
Valley 559 FC, who competes in the United Premier Soccer League, booked its Second Round spot with a 1-0 win over USL League One side AV ALTA FC on Tuesday night. Former MLS player and UC Davis Aggie Alumni Quincy Amarikwa netted the game winner with a diving header in the 65th minute. The goal secured Valley 559’s first win in the tournament.
This year’s Open Cup features a condensed format to allow a summer break during the World Cup. The field includes 80 teams from Major League Soccer, USL Championship, USL League One, MLS NEXT Pro, and various amateur leagues.
Republic FC has participated in every tournament held since its inaugural season and remains the only second-division team to reach the National Championship Final since 2008 after defeating three MLS sides in the 2022 tournament. The club’s 24 tournament wins are the most by any team in the competition since 2014.
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is American soccer’s National Championship and has crowned a winner annually since 1914 (with the exception of 2020 and 2021 due to COVID-19). The historic tournament is conducted on a single-game, knockout basis and open to all professional and amateur teams affiliated with U.S. Soccer. It is the oldest ongoing national soccer competition in the United States and the world’s third-longest continuously run national cup tournament.
The Quails return to league play this Saturday with a home match against regional rival Monterey Bay FC. Kickoff is at 7:00 p.m. and tickets are available now at SacRepublicFC.com. The match will also be broadcast live on the FOX40+ streaming app, FOX40.com, and ESPN+.
