Major League Soccer is reportedly set to end its long-running dispute with the US Open Cup by reinstating all 27 of its American clubs.

According to a report from Backheeled, MLS will allow every one of its US-based teams to participate in the competition next year.

The move would bring an end to a three-year period during which MLS withheld its clubs from the tournament entirely.

The US Open Cup is widely recognised as the United States’ oldest soccer competition, with a history stretching back continuously to 1914.

Only two editions of the tournament have been skipped in that entire history, those being 2020 and 2021 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The competition operates as a single-elimination cup, meaning every team that enters faces a straightforward knockout format with no second chances.

Much like England’s FA Cup and other similar competitions around the world, the US Open Cup spans the full breadth of the American soccer pyramid.

That means amateur and semi-professional teams have the opportunity to compete in the same tournament as MLS sides, creating genuine David vs Goliath matchups.

The return of MLS clubs would be a significant boost to the profile and prestige of a competition that has long been considered a cornerstone of American soccer culture.

Supporters of lower-league clubs in particular stand to benefit enormously, with the prospect of facing top-flight opposition returning to the tournament calendar.

The three-year absence of MLS teams left a notable void in the competition, and the news of their return will be welcomed widely across the American soccer community.

If confirmed, the move would represent an important moment for the broader health and unity of the sport in the United States.

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