US Soccer has announced that the remainder of the US Open Cup, which included the competition quarterfinals, semifinals and final, will be streamed for free on Apple TV. This move comes after much confusion as to where the games will be streamed as they have been unable to find a home for the competition in 2024 other than the US Soccer website.
Apple TV, currently the home of MLS Season Pass, has served as the ultimate location for US Soccer’s first division since the 2023 season. While the MLS regular season, Leagues Cup and MLS Playoffs have been on this platform, the US Open Cup has struggled to find a home, despite having teams from MLS competing in it. Now that has changed as the mostly MLS included competition nears the final three stages.
MLS and US Soccer struggled with the competition earlier this year with MLS trying to remove themselves completely from the over 100 year-old tournament. An agreement was made from certain MLS teams to field first teams while a majority of other sent the MLS Next Pro reserve teams in their place. NYCFC II performed admirably, being the furtherest lower division side to advance into the round of 16.
Of the eight teams still in the competition, five of them are MLS Clubs. Sporting KC, FC Dallas, LAFC, Seattle Sounders and Atlanta United have advanced. We are guaranteed to see at least one MLS team in the semifinal and could see an all-MLS experience for the rest of the competition. The remaining lower division teams include clubs from the USL Championship: Detroit City, Indy Eleven and Sacaramento Republic.
The quarterfinals will take place on July 9th with the semifinal being on August 27th and the final on September 25th, all on Apple TV free of charge.
