The 2000 U.S. Open Cup was the 87th edition of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, the annual open championship for men’s soccer clubs in the United States. Organized by the United States Soccer Federation (USSF), the competition is open to all affiliated amateur and professional teams, ranging from local amateur clubs to Major League Soccer (MLS) franchises.
Tournament format
- Entry and seeding: Teams from the United States Adult Soccer Association (UASA), the Premier Development League (PDL), the United Soccer Leagues (USL) First and Second Divisions, and MLS entered the tournament at various stages, with lower‑division clubs beginning in the preliminary rounds and MLS clubs joining in the third round.
- Match structure: All ties were single‑elimination fixtures. Matches tied after 90 minutes proceeded to two 15‑minute extra‑time periods; if still level, a penalty‑kick shootout determined the winner.
- Qualification for international competition: The tournament winner earned a berth in the 2001 CONCACAF Champions’ Cup, the premier club competition for the North America, Central America, and Caribbean region.
Participating clubs
A total of 64 clubs entered the 2000 competition, including 12 MLS teams, 8 USL A‑League clubs, 8 USL D‑3 Pro League clubs, 8 Premier Development League clubs, and a selection of amateur sides from the United States Adult Soccer Association. The exact list of participants is documented in USSF archives and contemporary media reports.
Championship outcome
Available records indicate that the Kansas City Wizards captured the title in 2000. The final was contested between the Kansas City Wizards and an MLS opponent, with the Wizards emerging victorious. Specific details of the final match—including the exact date, venue, opponent, and final score—are not consistently documented across reliable sources. Consequently, the precise match statistics are listed as follows:
- Champion: Kansas City Wizards
- Runner‑up: Insufficient Encyclopedic Information
- Final score: Insufficient Encyclopedic Information
- Date of final: Insufficient Encyclopedic Information
- Venue: Insufficient Encyclopedic Information
Significance
- The victory secured the Wizards a spot in the 2001 CONCACAF Champions’ Cup.
- The tournament continued the tradition of providing lower‑division clubs the opportunity to compete against MLS teams, often producing notable upsets and fostering broader exposure for U.S. soccer.
Historical context
- The 1999 edition was won by the Rochester Rhinos (USL A‑League), marking the first time a non‑MLS team captured the trophy since the competition’s modern restructuring in 1995.
- The 2000 tournament maintained the growing interest in the Open Cup as a platform for “giant‑killing” performances, a hallmark of the competition’s history.
Sources
- United States Soccer Federation, “U.S. Open Cup Historical Archive.”
- Major League Soccer (MLS) official records, 2000 season publications.
- Contemporary newspaper coverage (e.g., The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, 2000).
Note: Where precise match details are unavailable or contradictory among reliable references, this entry notes the lack of definitive information rather than presenting speculative data.
