The thought of another team tying the Fire's illustrious U.S. Open Cup record of four championships has been around ever since the Seattle Sounders began their run of Open Cup titles in 2009. The Fire went down in defeat to Seattle in their third straigh title triumph in 2011 and but for a shootout loss to Sporting KC in 2012, the Sounders almost equalled the number.
As the two teams meet in Wednesday's Open Cup semifinal, they do so with much historical understanding. A Fire victory would put the club within one victory of tying Bethlehem Steel and Maccabbi Los Angeles fir the all-time tournament record of five titles in the competition while Seattle would be one victory from tying the Fire's best in MLS record of four championships.
Frank Yallop told Chicago-Fire.com Tuesday that his team fully understood the historical significance of the match, talked what it feels like to be the underdog and the intimate atmosphere of Starfire Sports Complex:
| Most U.S. Open Cup Titles - MLS | ||
| Team | Championships | Runner-Up |
| Chicago Fire | 4 | 2 |
| Seattle Sounders FC | 3 | 1 |
| D.C. United | 3 | 2 |
| LA Galaxy | 2 | 2 |
| Sporting KC | 2 | 0 |
