New York City FC enter the 2026 US Open Cup on Tuesday against one of the newer local teams Westchester SC. The game represents head coach Pascal Jansen’s second attempt at the competition after crashing out in the round of 32 to the Pittsburgh Riverhounds. Lessons were learned from that game as the club became formidable in the MLS Cup Playoffs and now want to translate that knockout-game success into the 2026 version of this cup competition.
“It was a brief moment, unfortunately, last season,” said head coach Jansen. “Our intent is to be in this tournament as long as we can. Obviously, it’s tournament where a prize can be won, so that is something that we always desire within the club. That is on our mind as well, but basically, like I said in the beginning for us it’s mainly to be in the tournament as long as we can.”
It is a busy time of year for NYCFC as they played in Vancouver just three days earlier. The game was a difficult one as the club suffered a 2-0 loss and will have to play Charlotte at home on Saturday. Rotation will be key for the club as the fixture congestion grows stronger in May. City will play nine games over the next month at minimum, with more if the club continues through this round of the Open Cup.
Many MLS clubs take the opportunity to give younger players an opportunity. Players like Talles Magno and Seymour Reid are expected to see significantly more minutes if not as starters. The competition hasn’t necessarily been dominant in USL League One either. While no team can take it easy, especially in the Open Cup, Westchester SC opened their campaign with two losses and a draw. Recently they have recovered with two consecutive wins but still have shown defensive issues.
The league difference should be seen as substantial. League One, the third division of US Soccer, has not seen many clubs push far in the competition. Several other NY/NJ based teams will also be participating, including Brooklyn FC, Cosmos and Red Bull New York.
“It doesn’t matter who you play, when you play, what time you play, you always have to be ready to compete,” said Jansen. “So we take this tournament very seriously. As I mentioned a couple times already, our spell in last year’s tournament was way too short.”
photo by Jordan Bank