HOUSTON (April 14, 2026) – Houston Dynamo FC kick off their 2026 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup campaign on Wednesday, April 15, hosting USL Championship side El Paso Locomotive FC in the Round of 32 at Shell Energy Stadium. Kickoff for this first-time Texas showdown is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. CT, and fans can secure their tickets for the match HERE.
Fans can learn more about the Club’s Community First Ticket Offers and Value Menu for the 2026 season HERE. Additionally, fans watch the match live via Paramount+.
If Houston advances to the Round of 16, they will host the winner of Austin FC and Louisville City FC on either April 28 or 29 at Shell Energy Stadium.
Notably, the champion of this 111th U.S. Open Cup will earn a berth into the 2027 Concacaf Champions Cup.
The Dynamo have won two U.S Open Cup titles in Club history, with their most recent triumph coming in 2023, when they defeated Inter Miami CF 2-1 at Chase Stadium (previously DRV PNK Stadium). Houston’s goal scorers that night were former Dynamo players Griffin Dorsey and Amine Bassi. Notably, the team never trailed in a match during its championship campaign.
The victory secured Houston’s fourth domestic title in Club history after winning back-to-back MLS Cup titles in 2006 and 2007, as well as the 2018 U.S. Open Cup, which the Dynamo earned with a 3-0 victory over the Philadelphia Union in Houston.
Notably, head coach Ben Olsen, who joined the Dynamo ahead of the 2023 season, became the third coach to win the U.S. Open Cup with two different teams, after also lifting the trophy as a player (2008) and head coach (2013) with D.C. United. Assistant coach Ezra Hendrickson, who joined Olsen’s first team coaching staff in March 2026, also won a cup title as a player (2001) with LA Galaxy and four cup titles as an assistant coach (2009, 2010, 2011 and 2014) with Seattle Sounders FC.
Additionally, four players (Artur, Héctor Herrera, Aliyu Ibrahim and Erik Sviatchenko) on this year’s Dynamo roster were part of the squad that lifted the 2023 Open Cup trophy. Players who also won a cup title and were not part of Houston’s 2023 championship team include attacker Mateusz Bogusz (2024 with LAFC) and defender Antônio Carlos (2022 with Orlando City SC).
El Paso advanced to the Round of 32 following a 4-0 shutout victory on the road over fellow USL Championship side New Mexico United, earning Round of 32 action in back-to-back seasons for the first time in club history. Alvaro Quezada, Alex Mendez, Rubio Rubin and Eric Calvillo were the four goalscorers that night.
The Locomotive are currently unbeaten in 2026, sitting second in the USL Championship Western Conference standings with 13 points and a 4-0-1 (WLD) record. They are coming off a 4-0 victory at Hartford Athletic, with Diego Abitia, Tony Alfaro, Calvillo and Gabi Torres each netting a goal each.
Notably, former Dynamo player Roberto “Beto” Avila currently plays for El Paso. In May 2022, the Austin, Texas native was the first player signed to the first team from Houston Dynamo 2 since the launch of the program in December 2021. Avila was also the first player to sign an MLS contract after competing in MLS NEXT Pro.
Last year, the Dynamo advanced to the Round of 16 in the U.S. Open Cup, defeating USL Championship side Phoenix Rising FC 4-1 on the road after extra time in the Round of 32, before bowing out of the competition at Austin FC.
Now in its 111th edition, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup has crowned a champion since 1914 in every year except 2020 and 2021. The historic tournament is conducted on a single-game, knockout basis and open to all professional and amateur teams affiliated with U.S. Soccer. It is the longest running national soccer competition in the United States and the world's third longest continuously run national cup tournament. It is the only competition in USA-based team sports where amateurs have the chance to play professionals in direct competition.
Houston returns to MLS play on Saturday, April 18, traveling east for an inter-conference matchup versus Orlando City SC at Inter&Co Stadium. Fans can watch the match live via Apple TV.
