WHEN people on this side of the Atlantic think of football in the United States, the first things that come to mind might be the North American Soccer League (NASL), which in the 1970s or early ’80s featured the likes of Pele, George Best, and Johan Cruyff; or the current high profile division in the country, Major League Soccer (MSL), which has previously attracted players such as David Beckham, Robbie Keane, Thierry Henry and Wayne Rooney.

Maybe we think of the 1994 World Cup, held in the US, or the quirks of soccer such as unusual team names or penalty shootouts with a 35-yard run-up rather than a dead ball shot from 12 yards.

Or, perhaps to the annoyance of many US professionals within the game, we now think of the TV series Ted Lasso.

One corner of US soccer few beyond the aficionados will have heard of is the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup, formerly known as the National Challenge Cup.

The tournament has run since the 1913/14 season and is one of the longest-running cup competitions in the world.

And unlike many sports tournaments, it continued during the world wars. This means that prior to its cancellation in the 2020 and 2021 seasons due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it was on a run of 106 consecutive years, making it the second-longest for a national cup competition after the Irish Cup in Northern Ireland.

Lamar Hunt, after whom the tournament has been named since 1999, was involved with numerous professional soccer leagues last century, including NASL and MLS, and was generally an advocate for the sport in the States.

Hunt’s work, as well as the cup now named after him, shows the game has a richer history in the country than is often promoted or spoken of.

The Open Cup epitomises this, and is effectively the US version of the English FA Cup, which makes it unusual in US sports.

Most leagues and tournaments in the country are contested between the same groups of clubs, or franchises, every year, as there is no promotion or relegation. The divisions separating the teams are usually regional rather than hierarchical.

The only time a new team arrives in the MLS is when an expansion team is added, such as Charlotte FC this year and Austin FC in 2021.

But the Open Cup sees teams from regional amateur and semi-pro level enter the same competition as the MLS sides, along with teams from the de facto second and third divisions run by the United Soccer League (USL).

Inter Miami arrived in the MLS in 2020 as an expansion side, owned by Beckham. They plan to play their home games in Miami in the future, but their base for their early years has been Fort Lauderdale.

This is Inter Miami’s first season in the Open Cup due to the cancellation of the 2020 and 21 editions, and it seemed inevitable that the Magic of the Cup would line up a local derby against USL Championship side Miami FC.

It duly delivered, and the two will meet on Wednesday in the first Miami Clasico — which will also be Inter Miami’s first competitive game in Miami.

That is one of a number of narratives around this game. Another is that Miami FC head coach, Anthony Pulis, son of former Stoke City and West Brom manager Tony, spent some time as Phil Neville’s assistant at Inter Miami in 2021.

Neville replaced Inter’s first manager, Diego Alonso, in 2021 after a disappointing first season at the club, but their fortunes haven’t really changed under the Englishman. They failed to qualify for the playoffs last year despite being one of the league’s highest-spending clubs.

Miami FC might fancy their chances in what they view as one of the most important games in their club’s history.

They have defeated MLS sides in the past, knocking out Orlando City and Atlanta United on their way to an Open Cup quarter-final in 2017, when they were managed by Alessandro Nesta.

They are selling tickets for the upcoming game for $10 (£7) each in an attempt to fill the stadium and repeat that success.

“I am pretty sure I can speak for the entire club and say we are excited for the opportunity to host Inter Miami at FIU Stadium,” said Pulis.

“We know how special the US Open Cup is for Miami FC fans, given the success in the past, and we’re looking forward to representing them on the pitch.

“It’ll be a great match for all the Miami community to come out and enjoy.”

An under-pressure Neville will have been relieved to have secured Inter’s first league win of the season last week, six games in.

They still sit at the bottom of the overall table, but there were encouraging signs as on-loan Wolves striker Leonardo Campana registered a hat-trick in a 3-2 win against a struggling New England Revolution side.

They travel to Seattle on Sunday to play the Sounders, but Neville is already aware of the importance of the Open Cup to Inter’s season.

“We’re looking forward to it,” the former Man United and Everton player said of the Miami FC game.

“It’s a competition we’re going to go for. We’re going to play our best 11 in every Open Cup game because I liken it to the FA Cup in England. Miami FC, a USL team, will want to beat us.”

The Open Cup can slip under the radar, especially outside the US, but if there are more ties like this and more global coverage in the future, this historic competition could become one of the most eagerly anticipated and keenly observed soccer tournaments.