The draw is set for the final two rounds of the 2018 U.S. Open Cup.
U.S. Soccer conduced the draw on Monday afternoon at their headquarters in Chicago. The Philadelphia Union will host the Chicago Fire in one semifinal on August 8, while the Houston Dynamo will host LAFC in the other semifinal, also on August 8.
U.S. Soccer also conducted the draw for the final, and the hosting priority order goes to Chicago, followed by Houston, and LAFC. The Union are eliminated from contention for hosting the final, should they advance.
In other words, if Chicago advance, they will host the final. If they do not, then Houston or LAFC will host Philadelphia in the final.
The Fire are the only one of the four finalists to have previously won the Open Cup (1998, 2000, 2003, 2006). The Union have reached the final twice (2014, 2015), while the Dynamo have never made it to the final. LAFC are seeking to be the third MLS expansion team to lift the USOC in their debut season (Chicago, 1998; Seattle, 2009).
