U.S. Soccer has unveiled the format and dates for the 2009 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The basic structure of the tournament remains unchanged from last year. All 32 USL & USASA teams will play in the First and Second Rounds on June 9 & 16, with the winners meeting the eight Major League Soccer clubs in the Third Round on June 30. The Quarterfinals are set for July 7, with the semifinals scheduled for either July 21 or 22. The final is set for September 2, nearly five weeks after the semifinals.

There are two changes as far as USL qualifying goes. All eight of the U.S.-based USL Second Division clubs will automatically enter the tournament for the first time. For the Premier Development League, all qualifying will be determined by divisions instead of conference. Last year, the Eastern and Central conference sent their top two teams, while the Southern and Western Conferences sent one team from each of their two divisions.

U.S. Soccer press release

Premier Development League Qualifying