opencup

OpenCup, or opencup, is a term used to describe a class of knockout cup competitions that are open to entrants meeting basic eligibility, rather than restricted to a single league. The name is used across multiple sports and countries to indicate an open-entry national or regional tournament that runs alongside league play. In practice, entrants typically include professional clubs, semi-professional teams, and sometimes amateur or community clubs that meet registration requirements. Matches are usually played as single-elimination, with replays or extra time and penalties as needed, and the tournament progresses toward a final where the champion is crowned.

Notable example includes the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, a national knockout soccer competition in the United States that is open to all affiliated teams. It includes teams from Major League Soccer and lower divisions, and is organized by U.S. Soccer. It is the oldest ongoing national soccer competition in the United States and has occasionally produced upsets by lower-division teams.

Other uses occur in various countries and sports, sometimes under official names that translate to Open Cup or simply Open Cup. The term is largely generic and describes the open-entry structure rather than a single governing body. Related concepts include knockout tournaments and cup competitions in sports generally.