San Jose Earthquakes to Host Phoenix Rising FC in 2026 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 32 on April 15

SAN JOSE, Calif. — The San Jose Earthquakes will host USL Championship side Phoenix Rising FC in the 2026 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 32 at PayPal Park on Wednesday, April 15 (7 p.m. PT). The match will stream live on Paramount+ and air on CBS Sports Golazo Network, with the winner advancing to either face Minnesota United FC or Sacramento Republic FC in the Round of 16 on either Tuesday, April 28, or Wednesday, April 29.     

The U.S. Open Cup Round of 32 clash will be Bonus Game A for Earthquakes Season Ticket Holders, who will have the opportunity to purchase additional tickets via a special presale link starting on Monday, April 6, at 10 a.m. PT. Single-game tickets will be available for sale to the general public on Tuesday, April 7, at 10 a.m. PT.  

Each of the 16 Second Round winners were paired with an opponent from Major League Soccer in the Round of 32. Eight of the MLS teams, including the Earthquakes, were seeded at home, while the other eight were seeded away. San Jose drew the top hosting priority in the Kasey Keller Group, which means if the Earthquakes advance to the Round of 16, they will host the winner of Minnesota vs. Sacramento. 

All games in the Round of 32—and every match onward to the tournament Final—will stream live on Paramount+. Select matches will be simulcast on CBS Sports Network and CBS Sports Golazo Network. 

The April 15 tilt will serve as the first time the Earthquakes and Phoenix Rising FC have met in U.S. Open Cup play. PRFC, the 2023 USL Championship winners and 2020 finalists, advanced to the 2024 U.S. Open Cup Round of 16 in their club’s deepest tournament run to date. In terms of connections between the two clubs, two-time MLS Cup champion Head Coach Frank Yallop has manned the sideline for San Jose (2001-03, 2008-13) and Phoenix (2016-17). 

Though San Jose has never won the U.S. Open Cup, the club came closest in 2004 and 2017, reaching the semifinals in both instances. The 2017 version of the tournament saw San Jose beat the San Francisco Deltas, Seattle Sounders FC, and archrival LA Galaxy in succession. However, the Quakes’ run would end in a 5-4 penalty shootout loss at the hands of Sporting Kansas City following a 1-1 draw. In 2004, the Quakes defeated the Portland Timbers and Minnesota Thunder of the now-defunct A-League before also falling to Sporting Kansas City (then known as the Kansas City Wizards), 1-0.  

This past season, the Black and Blue enjoyed a run to the Quarterfinals under first-year Head Coach and Sporting Director Bruce Arena. After winning their Round of 32 meeting with Sacramento Republic FC 2-1 with Preston Judd’s goal and assist leading the way, they beat the Timbers 1-0 in the Round of 16 due to some heroics in net by Earl Edwards Jr. and a dramatic 116th-minute Jack Skahan goal. San Jose ultimately fell in the final eight to Austin FC via a 4-2 penalty shootout following a 2-2 draw after extra time. 

The Earthquakes hold a 23-20 all-time record in U.S. Open Cup play, including an 19-6 record against non-MLS teams. 

About the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup 

The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup has crowned U.S. Soccer’s national champion since 1914. The history-filled tournament is conducted on a single-game-knockout basis and is open to professional and amateur teams affiliated with U.S. Soccer. In 1999, the oldest ongoing national soccer competition in the U.S. was renamed to honor American soccer pioneer Lamar Hunt. The 2026 U.S. Open Cup winner will earn a berth in the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup and have its name engraved on the Dewar Challenge Trophy—one of the oldest nationally contested trophies in American team sports—now on permanent display at the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Frisco, Texas. Nashville SC of MLS is the defending U.S. Open Cup Champion. The 110th edition of the tournament concluded on October 1, 2025, with NSC defeating Austin FC to claim the Tennessee club’s first piece of major silverware.   

The official website of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is ussoccer.com/us-open-cup. Fans can also follow the competition on X/Twitter and Instagram @OpenCup and Facebook @OfficialOpenCup.