Philadelphia Union to Host USL’s Indy Eleven in Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 32

For the first time since 2018, the Philadelphia Union are set to host a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup match at Subaru Park after drawing USL Championship side, Indy Eleven, in the tournament’s Round of 32.

Union, MLS — Image Credit: Philadelphia Union

The Philadelphia Union are back in the US Open Cup

Taking place on either May 6th or 7th, fans of the Philadelphia Union will fill Subaru Park in hopes of seeing their club make another deep run in the oldest ongoing national soccer competition in the United States, one Philly have reached the finals of – and ultimately lost – on three separate occasions (2014, 2015, 2018).

The midweek match between Union and Indy Eleven will come during a busy stretch for Philadelphia. The game is set just a few days after the Union travels to Canada to take on CF Montreal and just a few days before Daniel Gazdag and the Columbus Crew make their yearly visit to Chester.

This will be the Blue and Gold’s 13th attempt at lifting the Open Cup trophy, and fans should be excited after the club’s absence from the tournament in 2024 to make room in the schedule for the less-preferred League Cup last season. Philly’s all-time record in the Open Cup is 19-8-4.

A new opponent in a legendary tournament

Indy Eleven comes into the Round of 32 after beating fellow USL Championship opponent Miami FC with a late goal in extra time from Hayden White. The USL side, which will travel to Subaru Park for the midweek clash, is no stranger to a good Cupset, knocking off both of Major League Soccer’s Chicago Fire and Atlanta United on their way to the 2024 Semi-Finals, where their Cinderella Story was eventually cut short by Sporting Kansas City.

If the Philadelphia Union were to win their Round of 32 matchup against Indy Eleven, the Blue and Gold faithful would be set to host a Round of 16 matchup at Subaru Park as well. This matchup would be slated against the winner of Major League Soccer’s NYCFC and USL’s Pittsburgh Riverhounds, and it should take place between May 20 and 21.

If I’m the Philadelphia, I’m looking at the Cup draw and feeling good about the path to the Quarter-Finals in front of me. Playing both games at home, Union should like their chances to beat both Indy Eleven and either NYCFC or Pittsburgh Riverhounds in a one-and-done competition in front of their home fans. Of course, there’s a reason the games are played on the field and not on paper. But for Bradley Carnell, Ernst Tanner and Co., the Blue and Gold going all-in on the Open Cup in 2025 might be the fans’ best chance at seeing their club lift Silverware in the coming years.