U.S. Open Cup Winner Will Get CONCACAF Champions League Bid in 2009

A few months ago, I made the argument in this space that the winner of the U.S. Open Cup, the American equivalent to England's FA Cup, deserved a spot in the new CONCACAF Champions League. Someone out there must have been listening.

CONCACAF announced the qualification format for its new Champions League last night, and starting this year, the 2008 U.S. Open Cup champion will earn a bid to the 2009-10 Champions League. This will allow clubs playing in United Soccer Leagues, the divisions below Major League Soccer, an opportunity to qualify for the Champions League. Last year, six MLS clubs were knocked out of the Open Cup by USL clubs, and both the Seattle Sounders and Carolina Railhawks of USL-1 reached the semifinals and took their MLS opponents to extra time before bowing out.

In addition, the 2008 Supporters' Shield winner and both MLS Cup finalists will earn Champions League bids. Because the New England Revolution was both Open Cup winner and MLS Cup runner-up last season, that club will take the Open Cup spot, and Chivas USA will take the vacant spot because they had the second-best regular season record.

Personally, I still don't like the fact that both MLS Cup finalists will qualify for the Champions League, as this makes the MLS regular season less meaningful than it should be. (The top four regular season finishers still qualify for Superliga, regardless of the MLS Cup playoffs.) Also, some cynics will look at this and say this is the only way MLS clubs will take the Open Cup seriously, or that this is just another one of MLS' tricks to get the L.A. Galaxy into the Champions League.

Given that the Galaxy lost to the USL-1 Vancouver Whitecaps in a recent exhibition, though, I can't imagine any USL club not wanting a shot at Beckham & Co. The Galaxy is tied for the league lead in most goals allowed (15), and its back line is looking more porous than Derby County's.

Overall, this is a huge win for USL clubs and a good chance for them to prove just how competitive they are with the USA's top soccer league. Let's see if any of them take advantage of it this year.

The first round of the U.S. Open Cup begins on June 10. MLS clubs will enter the tournament in the third round on July 1. The final is currently scheduled for August 26.

(H/T: Triangle Soccer Fanatics)