READING, PA (April 12, 2018) – The United States Soccer Federation approved a request by Reading United A.C. to move the club’s U.S. Open Cup first round match against Christos F.C. to Alvernia University Stadium in Reading, Pennsylvania. The match against Christos F.C. will be played on Wednesday, May 9th at 7:00pm. This is the first time Alvernia will play host to Reading United.

"We are excited that Alvernia is hosting this event for us in their newly renovated stadium," said George Gadebusch, Reading United's General Manager. "We feel it is a great environment to kick off our 2018 U.S. Open Cup run."

Reading United A.C. will participate in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup for the tenth consecutive season. With a berth in the 105th edition of the U.S. Open Cup, United extend their record for most consecutive appearances in the competition by an amateur club. In total, Reading has qualified for the competition twelve times.

United have advanced past the first round of the Open Cup in each of the last six seasons.

Christos F.C. are a powerhouse on the Maryland adult amateur soccer circuit. The Baltimore based club claimed the Maryland State Cup for the eighth time in ten years in 2017. Christos also rose to national prominence with their magical run to the fourth round of last season’s U.S. Open Cup.

The Open Cup is the longest running national soccer competition in the country, having been contested every year since 1914. Clubs from every level of the U.S. Soccer pyramid, from the professional clubs in Major League Soccer to amateur sides in the U.S. Adult Soccer Association compete in the annual single elimination tournament. Clubs from Pennsylvania have won the competition a total of 14 times, with the legendary Bethlehem Steel side of the early 20th century claiming a record five titles. Last year, Sporting Kansas City claimed the Lamar Hunt Open Cup Trophy for the fourth time in club history.