With 1999 U.S. Open Cup qualifying in full force this week, U.S. Soccer Secretary General Hank Steinbrecher has announced today that the 86-year-old tournament final will be staged on Sept. 14 at the new Columbus Crew Stadium in Columbus, Ohio. The match will kickoff at 8 p.m. ET and will be televised live on ESPN for the first time. “I can’t emphasize enough how important this stadium is to soccer in the United States,” said Steinbrecher in making the announcement. “Stadiums like this help to give a permanence to the professional game in this country, and what better way to illustrate that than by bringing the oldest trophy in U.S. team sports to Columbus.” Dating back to 1914, the U.S. Open Cup is among the oldest cup competitions in the world of soccer. Open to all affiliated amateur and professional teams in the United States, the annual U.S. Open Cup is an 86-year-old single-elimination tournament based on similar competitions played across the world concurrent with domestic league action. “This is a great honor for the city of Columbus and just one of many world-class events we will be hosting at the new stadium in the future,” said Crew GM Jamey Rootes, whose team lost in overtime of last year’s final to the Chicago Fire at Soldier Field in Chicago. For ticket information, fans may contact the Columbus Crew at 614/221-CREW (2739).