Salem City FC has achieved a remarkable feat by qualifying for the Lamar Open Cup, the oldest and most prestigious soccer tournament in the country. The club has accepted the invitation to join the competition, which will feature teams from all levels of the American soccer pyramid. Salem City FC is looking forward to showcasing its talent and passion on the national stage, and hopes to make its fans and city proud.

What is the Lamar Open Cup

The Lamar Hunt Open Cup, also known as the U.S. Open Cup, is a knockout cup competition in men’s soccer in the United States of America. It is the country’s oldest ongoing national soccer competition, first held in 1914 and originally dubbed the “National Challenge Cup” . The competition was renamed to its current iteration in 1999, which honors former NASL and MLS executive Lamar Hunt, who was the principal founder of both leagues and is credited with ushering U.S. club soccer into the modern age. The competition is open to adult teams in the United States that are affiliated with the United States Soccer Federation, including professional and amateur teams, with the exception of reserve and academy teams that are directly owned and operated by Major League Soccer (MLS) clubs. The competition has 99 participants .