Sporting KC vs. Colorado Springs Switchbacks preview: Four-time winners face difficult U.S. Open Cup test

Sporting Kansas City will face USL Championship club the Colorado Springs Switchbacks for the first time in club history on Tuesday night in the U.S. Open Cup Round of 32. The Wizards enter the competition as four-time winners, with the opportunity to move closer to tying the all-time record.

If Sporting Kansas City were to lift the trophy in 2026, it would mark a fifth U.S. Open Cup triumph, equaling the record held by Bethlehem Steel and Maccabee Los Angeles. Both clubs, however, are long gone, leaving Sporting with a chance to write its own modern piece of history in a competition.

Sporting KC did not participate in the 2025 edition, instead sending Sporting KC II into the tournament. The last time the first team competed, they reached the final before falling 3-1 in extra time to Los Angeles FC. For a club with a strong Open Cup identity, returning to the competition brings both expectation and pressure.

A first meeting and high stakes in high altitude

Tuesday night’s match will be played at Weidner Field in Colorado Springs, with the winner advancing to the Round of 16 to face either MLS’s Colorado Rapids or USL League One’s Union Omaha. For Sporting Kansas City, it is a straightforward objective on paper. In reality, it is anything but.

Neither side enters the match in form. Sporting Kansas City has lost its last three MLS games by a combined score of 10-3, with defensive issues and inconsistency continuing to define the early part of the season. The most recent setback, a 3-1 loss to the San Jose Earthquakes, followed a familiar pattern. Sporting scored first, only to concede three unanswered goals and lose control of the match.

Across the season, the numbers offer little comfort. One win, seven goals scored, and 17 conceded underline just how difficult things have been for Raphael Wicky’s side.

The Switchbacks are not exactly arriving with momentum either. Colorado Springs is winless in four straight matches in all competitions, with two defeats and two draws during that stretch. Losses to Orange County SC and New Mexico United have exposed defensive weaknesses, while a 1-1 draw against Lexington SC last time out did little to shift expectations of a top of the standings finish.

A cup opportunity for both sides

Despite recent struggles, the Open Cup offers both teams a reset. Colorado Springs reached this stage by defeating Spokane Velocity in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw.

For the Switchbacks, the stakes extend beyond progression. The club has never beaten an MLS opponent, and this matchup presents a rare opportunity to change that. The timing, from their perspective, could not be better. Sporting Kansas City is struggling on both sides of the ball, and the Switchbacks will have the advantage of playing at home.

For Sporting KC, that reality adds pressure. Avoiding an upset is not just about advancing in the tournament. It is about preventing a new low in a season that has already begun to drift.

Team news and key players

Wicky may rotate his squad with one eye on Saturday’s MLS Week 8 fixture against the Vancouver Whitecaps. However, squad depth remains an issue, and his selections could ultimately be dictated by availability rather than preference.

Colorado Springs enters the match sitting ninth in the USL Championship Western Conference with five points from five matches. They have scored eight goals and conceded nine.

Forward Khori Bennett has been the standout performer, scoring four of the team’s eight league goals since arriving from Sacramento Republic. Midfielder Samuel Williams, on loan from the Chicago Fire, leads the team with two assists and provides creativity in deeper areas.

Sporting Kansas City continues to rely heavily on Dejan Joveljic, who leads the team with four goals and recently added an assist for Jacob Bartlett’s first professional goal in the loss to San Jose. Wicky could opt for his strongest possible lineup, which would include Joveljic leading the line, although offseason signing Taylor Calheira remains an option for his first start.

There are also familiar connections between the clubs. Sadam Masereka, drafted by Sporting KC in the 2026 MLS SuperDraft, now features for the Switchbacks after not being offered a contract. Dillon Serna, who previously played for SKC II, also has ties to both organizations following his move to Colorado Springs and later Colorado Rapids 2 before retiring in 2024.

Avoiding a deeper slide

The danger for Sporting Kansas City is clear. A loss in Colorado Springs would not only eliminate them from the Open Cup but deepen the sense of frustration surrounding the team. The last three MLS matches have already raised concerns, and an exit at the hands of a USL Championship side would only amplify them.

A win, on the other hand, offers some momentum ahead of the trip to Vancouver. It would not solve the bigger issues, but it would provide a reason for optimism and a chance to build confidence ahead of returning to league play.

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