ORLANDO, Fla. (June 21, 2016) – Tickets are now available for Orlando City SC’s 2016 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 match against the North American Soccer League’s (NASL) Fort Lauderdale Strikers on Wednesday, June 29, at Camping World Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. E.T.
Tickets start at just $15 and will go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. on Friday. Orlando City season ticket members can purchase tickets beginning Tuesday. Orlando Pride and OCB season ticket members, as well as those on waitlists, can purchase tickets Wednesday. Tickets to the match can be found here.
Currently in its 103rd year, the U.S. Open Cup is the oldest soccer tournament in the United States and the third-longest-running open soccer tournament in the world. Major League Soccer teams have dominated the Open Cup since they began participating in 1996, as only the 1999 Rochester Rhinos have won the tournament since then.
The winner of the tournament, awarded the Sir Thomas Dewar Cup, also earns $250,000 in prize money and an automatic spot in the CONCACAF Champions League.
American teams have four spots in the Champions League. The MLS Cup champion qualifies, as do the Supporters’ Shield winner and regular season conference champions. If one club qualifies through more than one way, the team with the next best regular season record qualifies. Being that MLS teams begin Open Cup play in the fourth round, the five victories needed to win the tournament make the it the most direct path to the Champions League.
No American team has ever won the Champions League in its current format, first adopted in 2008. Real Salt Lake was the runner-up in 2011, losing 3-2 to Liga MX side Monterrey. D.C. United and LA Galaxy won the tournament in 1998 and 2000, respectively, in its previous format, the Champions Cup.
Winning the Champions League is the only way to qualify for the FIFA Club World Cup, featuring each continental champion.
