The 2017 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup will see Columbus Crew SC drawn against its potential Fourth Round opponent on the morning of Thursday, May 18. The Fourth Round draw — hosted live on Twitter from U.S. Soccer's Soccer House in Chicago — will determine who the Black & Gold will face, along with deciding if Crew SC will host its opponent at MAPFRE Stadium.
All Open Cup matches that Columbus is drawn to host will be played as true home matches at MAPFRE Stadium — the site of Crew SC's 2002 U.S. Open Cup Final victory. All 2017 Crew SC Season Ticket Members receive tickets to all Crew SC U.S. Open Cup matches through the quarterfinals as part of their memberships.
The winner of the U.S. Open Cup qualifies directly for the CONCACAF Champions League with a chance to qualify for the FIFA Club World Cup against world-powers like Real Madrid, Boca Juniors and other regional champions.
The 2017 tournament features the largest field in modern-era U.S. Open Cup history. Among the sides in the 104th installment of the competition are Crew SC and 18 other Major League Soccer clubs, six participants from the North American Soccer League (NASL) and 18 teams from the United Soccer League (USL), including the Pittsburgh Riverhounds — Columbus' USL affiliate.
Crew SC holds a 23-16-2 record in the U.S. Open Cup, including a 13-5-1 record in the opening match in the competition dating back to the Black & Gold's tournament debut in 1998. Columbus is 14-6-1 all-time at home in the U.S. Open Cup.
Crew SC next visits New England Revolution on May 21 and Toronto FC on May 26.
The Black & Gold return to MAPFRE Stadium in Columbus to host the defending MLS Cup champion Seattle Sounders on May 31.
