Chula Vista FC has unfinished business Saturday night. The local club will face San Diego Internacional FC in the second qualifying round of the 2027 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, with kickoff set for 8 p.m. Saturday, October 3 at Mission Bay High School in San Diego. Admission is free.
The matchup is official on the U.S. Soccer qualifying schedule, which lists San Diego Internacional FC against Chula Vista FC as one of 63 second-round matches being played nationwide October 3-4. U.S. Soccer says a record 155 amateur clubs entered qualifying this year, competing for 16 places in the tournament proper next spring.
Chula Vista FC gets another shot at San Diego Internacional
Saturday’s game is a rematch of a U.S. Open Cup qualifying meeting nearly two years ago, when San Diego Internacional defeated Chula Vista FC 3-2. According to Times of San Diego, both teams received byes through the opening qualifying round this year, sending them directly into Saturday’s second-round matchup.
That history gives the game a little extra edge for Chula Vista supporters. The winner advances toward the third qualifying round, scheduled to begin October 31, followed by the final qualifying round in November.
A path from local soccer to the national stage
The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is one of the oldest continuously played soccer competitions in the United States. Its open format gives amateur and semi-professional clubs a path into the same national tournament as professional teams.
That possibility is what makes Saturday’s match especially interesting for South Bay soccer fans. San Diego FC has announced it will participate in the 2027 tournament, meaning a local amateur club that survives qualifying could eventually find itself on a path toward facing higher-level professional competition.
U.S. Soccer says the 2027 edition will be the 112th staging of the national championship. The tournament proper is scheduled to begin in spring 2027.
What to know before Saturday’s match
- Match: San Diego Internacional FC vs. Chula Vista FC
- Date: Saturday, October 3, 2026
- Kickoff: 8 p.m. Pacific
- Location: Mission Bay High School, San Diego
- Competition: 2027 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Second Qualifying Round
- Admission: Free
For Chula Vista FC, Saturday is both a chance to settle an old score and an opportunity to keep a national tournament run alive. For local fans, it is a free chance to support a Chula Vista team playing in one of American soccer’s most historic competitions.
Sources: U.S. Soccer — 2027 U.S. Open Cup Second Qualifying Round schedule; Times of San Diego — South Bay clubs meet in Open Cup qualifying rematch.