The U.S. Soccer Federation announced Thursday the draw for the 2025 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Round of 32, with the Charleston Battery set to face MLS side D.C. United at Audi Field on Tues., May 6, kicking off at 7 p.m. ET and airing on Paramount+.
The fixture adds a new chapter to the Coffee Pot Cup rivalry, named after the Battery’s famous 4-3 upset win in the 1999 Open Cup in Charleston, which reportedly resulted in smashed locker room coffee pots by the D.C. players in frustration over the loss. At the time, the win was hailed as “one of the biggest upsets ever seen in American soccer history,” by the USSF’s match report.
It’s also a rematch of the 2008 Open Cup Final, when the Battery’s Cinderella story in the tournament took them to RFK Stadium, which D.C. won, 2-1. Historically, the Battery have a 1W-2L-0D record against D.C. in the Open Cup.
There are several current ties between the clubs, too. Charleston’s roster includes former D.C. players Luis Zamudio and Houssou Landry, and D.C. have ex-Battery players Derek Dodson and Fidel Barajas on their roster, and are led by former Charleston players Troy Lesesne and Zach Prince on the touchline.
Looking at their respective leagues, the Battery are fourth in the USL Championship Eastern Conference with a 3W-2L-0D record and D.C. are in 13th of the MLS Eastern Conference with a 1W-4L-3D record.
The Battery punched their ticket to the Round of 32 after cruising to victory over South Georgia Tormenta FC, 4-0, in the Third Round. Chris Allan opened the scoring in the 32nd minute and Christian Garner recorded a clutch penalty save, but it was MD Myers’ hat trick that stole the show and sealed the win.
Myers became the third player in the Open Cup’s modern era to score hat tricks in two different tournaments, and the first to do so in back-to-back Open Cups.
Thursday’s draw also confirmed the path to the Round of 16. The winner of the Charleston-D.C. game will face the winners of the North Carolina FC-Charlotte FC match. If Charleston and Charlotte win, the Battery would host the Queen City club in the Round of 16 set for May 20-21.
Charleston will be aiming to add another chapter to their storied history in the Open Cup. Charleston have had a knack for upsetting MLS sides in the tournament and were 2008 Open Cup finalists. The Battery defeated Houston Dynamo FC and FC Dallas in that 2008 run, and have also taken down Chicago Fire, Chivas USA and the San Jose Earthquakes in the tournament.
The 2025 U.S. Open Cup winner will earn $300,000 in prize money, a berth in the 2026 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. The runner-up will earn $100,000, while the team that advances the furthest from each lower division will take home a $25,000 cash prize.
