This page describes the qualification procedure for the 2008 U.S. Open Cup. This was the first season where 8 teams from each level of the American Soccer Pyramid competed in the tournament proper. As a result, each level trimmed its ranks to its 8 team delegation before entering the full tournament.

Major League Soccer (MLS)

United Soccer Leagues (USL)

USL 1st Division (USL-1) All American-based USL-1 teams qualify.

USL 2nd Division (USL-2)

Harrisburg City Islanders (2007 USL-2 champions) and Richmond Kickers (2007 USL-2 Regular Season Champions) 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.

USL Premier Development League (PDL) 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

Central Conference 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.

Eastern Conference 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.

Southern Conference Top team in each division qualifies

Mid South Division 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.

Southeast Division 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.

Western Conference Top team in each division qualifies

Northwest Division 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.

Southwest Division 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.

United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA)

Region I

Region II

Region III Group winners qualify All times in Eastern Daylight Time

Group stage 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

Group Stage Matches

Final match

Region IV Group winners qualify All times in Eastern Daylight Time

Group stage 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

Group Stage Matches

Final match

See also 2008 U.S. Open Cup United States Soccer Federation Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Major League Soccer United Soccer Leagues USASA National Premier Soccer League