Laredo Heat to host El Paso Locomotive in U.S. Open Cup

The Laredo Heat SC will welcome the USL Championship's El Paso Locomotive FC to PEG Energy Stadium in the historic national tournament.

Jan. 27, 2026 at 12:07pm

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The Laredo Heat Soccer Club, a USL League Two team, will host the El Paso Locomotive FC, a USL Championship side, in the 111th edition of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The match will take place on Thursday, March 19 at 7:30 p.m. at PEG Energy Stadium in Laredo, Texas.

Why it matters

The U.S. Open Cup is the oldest ongoing national soccer competition in the United States, dating back to 1914. This match represents a rare opportunity for the amateur Laredo Heat to take on a professional USL Championship opponent, providing the local club a chance to showcase their talent and the city of Laredo to a national audience.

The details

The Laredo Heat, a USL League Two team, will host the El Paso Locomotive FC, a USL Championship side, in the opening round of the 111th Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The match will take place on Thursday, March 19 at 7:30 p.m. local time at PEG Energy Stadium in Laredo, Texas.

  • The match will be played on Thursday, March 19, 2026 at 7:30 p.m.
  • The 111th edition of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup will conclude with the championship final on October 21, 2026.

The players

Laredo Heat SC

A USL League Two team based in Laredo, Texas that will be hosting the match.

El Paso Locomotive FC

A USL Championship team based in El Paso, Texas that will be the visiting opponent.

Shashi Vaswani

The owner of the Laredo Heat SC.

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What they’re saying

“This is a very unique opportunity, not to mention the first time in our 22-year history that we will host a U.S.-based professional team in Laredo, and what better place to do it than our home, PEG Energy Stadium”

— Shashi Vaswani, Owner, Laredo Heat SC

“We are looking forward to having our fans here with us on this evening of soccer versus an established side such as the El Paso Locomotive of the USL Championship Division”

— Shashi Vaswani, Owner, Laredo Heat SC

What’s next

The winner of the Laredo Heat vs. El Paso Locomotive match will advance to the next round of the 111th Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

The takeaway

This historic U.S. Open Cup match represents a rare opportunity for the amateur Laredo Heat to test themselves against a professional USL Championship opponent, showcasing the talent and passion of the local club and community to a national audience.