The Flower City Union and Rochester NY FC haven’t played an official game just yet, but both professional teams will compete in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup this year.

Flower City was among 10 National Independent Soccer Associations teams named to participate in the tournament, while Rochester NY FC is only one of two MLS NEXT sides that will play. The other MLS Next team was St. Louis.

Both teams will enter the Open Cup in the second round, which will be held from April 5-7. The first round is set for March 22-23.

Both clubs will be making their respective debuts in 2022.

The other nine NISA competing are AC Syracuse Pulse, ALBION San Diego, Bay Cities FC, Cal United Strikers FC, Chattanooga FC, Los Angeles Force, Maryland Bobcats, Michigan Stars FC and Valley United FC.

Stumptown AC, Chicago House AC, and New Amsterdam FC will not participate in the competition.

“After two years of missed competition due to the pandemic, we are eager for the return of the U.S. Open Cup,” NISA commissioner John Prutch said in a statement. “Each of these clubs highly anticipates the competition from both other pro clubs and the best amateur sides in the nation.”

Front Row Soccer editor Michael Lewis has covered 13 World Cups (eight men, five women), seven Olympics and 25 MLS Cups. He has written about New York City FC, New York Cosmos, the New York Red Bulls and both U.S. national teams for Newsday and has penned a soccer history column for the Guardian.com. Lewis, who has been honored by the Press Club of Long Island and National Soccer Coaches Association of America, is the former editor of BigAppleSoccer.com. He has written seven books about the beautiful game and has published ALIVE AND KICKING The incredible but true story of the Rochester Lancers. It is available at Amazon.com.