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# Breaking news: Austin FC draws Louisville City in U.S. Open Cup play
- URL: https://verdeallday.com/breaking-news-austin-fc-draws-louisville-city-us-open-cup-third-round/
- Published: 2026-04-02T14:02:04.000Z
- Updated: 2026-04-02T14:02:04.000Z
- Description: Austin FC fans learned who the team will play and where in two weeks, and then what the Round of 16 holds — either a trip to Houston or hosting a familiar Open Cup foe.
- Author: Phil West
- Tags: 2026 season, austin fc, us open cup

On CBS Sports' Golazo Network this morning, Austin FC was announced as traveling to face Louisville City in U.S. Open Cup's third round either April 14 or 15\. 

Per the live draw, Austin FC also learned it will be second in the Round of 16 hosting order, meaning that if it advances past the USL Championship side, it will travel again to Houston if the Dynamo overcome El Paso Locomotive, and will host the Locos if the USL Championship team from Chuco Town scores the Cupset. 

Austin FC head coach Nico Estévez, interviewed on the show following the hosts walking though Verde's portion of the bracket, had benign and respectful things to say about the competition. 

"The U.S. Open Cup, I think, is a very traditional competition, something that we value a lot. And as we did last year, I think one game at a time, taking a priority to the game that we have in front of us, and this is the way that we approached last year, and it worked very well.

"We know to achieve what we did last year is always very difficult, but as a new competition starts, we are looking forward and excited to start to do another journey and write another good season in that competition," he added. 

His team, of course, progressed to the final, losing 2-1 at Q2 Stadum — a bittersweet finish to an otherwise magical run where the team went from nearly being bounced by El Paso in its first match to rattling off four straight wins, three in dramatic fashion. 

Asked about the contingent of away fans going to Miami this Saturday, and commenting on how well the Verde faithful travels, Estévez recalled perhaps the most dramatic of those wins. 

"For us, it's really important to give that joy, as we did in the Open Cup \[semifinal\] against Minnesota, and we could celebrate at the end of the game with them."