This page describes the qualification procedure for the 2008 U.S. Open Cup. This will be the first season where 8 teams from each level of the American Soccer Pyramid will compete in the tournament proper. As a result, each level will trim its ranks to its 8 team delegation before entering the full tournament.
All American-based USL-1 teams qualify.
Harrisburg City Islanders (2007 USL-2 champions) and Richmond Kickers (2007 USL-2 Regular Season Champions) have qualified based on their end of season performance in 2007.
Early season USL-2 games doubled as Open Cup qualification. Because teams played an uneven number of games the percentage of "Points per Points Possible" was used to rank the teams. All but the bottom-ranked team qualified for the tournament proper.
Green indicates Open Cup berth clinched
| Team | GP | W | L | T | Pts. | Pts. % | GD | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crystal Palace Baltimore | 5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 100% | +9 | |
| Charlotte Eagles | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 72% | +10 | |
| Cleveland City Stars | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 61% | +7 | |
| Real Maryland Monarchs | 6 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 9 | 50% | -2 | |
| Western Mass Pioneers | 6 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 39% | -3 | |
| Pittsburgh Riverhounds | 7 | 0 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 10% | -10 | |
| Wilmington Hammerheads | 5 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 7% | -6 |
Standings as of May 26.
Each conference has its own qualification process.
All teams play 4 designated regular season games that double as Open Cup qualification
Green indicates Open Cup berth clinched
Top two teams qualify
| Team | GP | W | L | T | Pts. | GD* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan Bucks | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 12 | +9 |
| St. Louis Lions | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 10 | +3 |
| Chicago Fire Premier | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 9 | +5 |
| Cleveland Internationals | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | +5 |
| Des Moines Menace | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | +3 |
| Colorado Rapids U23's | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | +2 |
| Kalamazoo Outrage | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | +1 |
| Cincinnati Kings | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | -2 |
| Kansas City Brass | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| Fort Wayne Fever | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | -4 |
| West Michigan Edge | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | -5 |
| West Virginia Chaos | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | -4 |
| Indiana Invaders | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | -5 |
| Springfield Demize | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | -8 |
*maximum goal differential of +/- 3 per game
Standings as of May 26.
Top two teams qualify
| Team | GP | W | L | T | Pts. | GD* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fredericksburg Gunners | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 12 | +7 |
| Brooklyn Knights | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 10 | +5 |
| Cape Cod Crusaders | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 9 | +6 |
| Reading Rage | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 9 | +4 |
| Ocean City Barons | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 8 | +5 |
| Newark Ironbound Express | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 8 | +4 |
| New Hampshire Phantoms | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 8 | +2 |
| Westchester Flames | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | +2 |
| Long Island Rough Riders | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | +1 |
| Vermont Voltage | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | -4 |
| Northern Virginia Royals | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | -6 |
| Virginia Legacy | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | -5 |
| Richmond Kickers Future | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | -4 |
| Hampton Roads Piranhas | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | -5 |
| Rhode Island Stingrays | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | -5 |
| New Jersey Rangers | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | -7 |
*maximum goal differential of +/- 3 per game
Standings as of May 26.
Top team in each division qualifies
| Team | GP | W | L | T | Pts. | GD* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austin Aztex U23 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 10 | +6 |
| Laredo Heat | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | +1 |
| New Orleans Shell Shockers | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | -1 |
| Houston Leones | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | +2 |
| El Paso Patriots | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 0 |
| Mississippi Brilla | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | -3 |
| Baton Rouge Capitals | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | -1 |
| DFW Tornados | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | -4 |
*maximum goal differential of +/- 3 per game
Standings as of May 26.
| Team | GP | W | L | T | Pts. | GD* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bradenton Academics | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 10 | +7 |
| Carolina Dynamo | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 9 | +4 |
| Central Florida Kraze | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 9 | +2 |
| Atlanta Silverbacks U23's | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | +2 |
| Nashville Metros | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | -1 |
| Cary RailHawks U23's | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | -2 |
| Panama City Pirates | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | -3 |
| Palm Beach Pumas | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | -9 |
*maximum goal differential of +/- 3 per game
Standings as of May 26.
Top team in each division qualifies
| Team | GP | W | L | T | Pts. | GD* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yakima Reds | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 10 | +5 |
| BYU Cougars | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | +3 |
| Tacoma Tide | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | +3 |
| Ogden Outlaws | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | -1 |
| Spokane Spiders | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | -4 |
| Cascade Surge | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | -6 |
*maximum goal differential of +/- 3 per game
Standings as of May 26.
| Team | GP | W | L | T | Pts. | GD* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles Legends | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 10 | +7 |
| San Jose Frogs | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 10 | +5 |
| San Francisco Seals | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 8 | +2 |
| Fresno Fuego | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 7 | +1 |
| Bakersfield Brigade | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 6 | +1 |
| Orange County Blue Star | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 |
| San Fernando Valley Quakes | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | -3 |
| Southern California Seahorses | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | -3 |
| Ventura County Fusion | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | -2 |
| Lancaster Rattlers | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | -8 |
*maximum goal differential of +/- 3 per game
Standings as of May 26.
Group winners qualify
All times in Eastern Daylight Time
Green indicates Open Cup berth clinched
Group A
| Team | GP | W | L | T | Pts. | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clearwater Galactics | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 7 | +6 |
| Atlanta FC | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | +4 |
| Dallas Roma F.C. | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | +2 |
| LA Mudbugs | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | -12 |
Group B
| Team | GP | W | L | T | Pts. | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASC New Stars | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 7 | +5 |
| Mustang Legends FC | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | +1 |
| Lynch's F.C. | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | +3 |
| Greenwood Wanderers | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | -9 |
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Group winners qualify
All times in Eastern Daylight Time
Green indicates Open Cup berth clinched
Group A
| Team | GP | W | L | T | Pts. | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona Sahuaros | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 7 | +5 |
| Sonoma County Sol | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 7 | +4 |
| Rockstar United | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Salinas Valley Samba | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | -9 |
Group B
| Team | GP | W | L | T | Pts. | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hollywood United F.C. | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 9 | +5 |
| Santa Cruz County Breakers | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | +2 |
| San Diego United | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | +1 |
| Banat Arsenal | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | -8 |
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