Hailey Sutton, Mike Grella and Tony Meola on CBS Sports Network: How to watch Colorado Rapids v San Jose Earthquakes in the US Open Cup

Match date: 21 May 2026

Colorado Rapids host San Jose Earthquakes in a mouth-watering US Open Cup quarter-final, with American viewers able to follow the action live on CBS Sports Network and Paramount+. For fans in Britain, the key TV detail is that this is a US broadcast-led fixture rather than one picked up by the BBC, ITV, Sky or TNT, so access is largely via the US rights holders and their streaming platforms, subject to geo-restrictions. Kick-off at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park comes in the early hours UK time, making this one for the night owls and the dedicated cup-watchers.

The coverage team on CBS Sports Network is led by Hailey Sutton, with punditry from Mike Grella, Tony Meola and Charlie Davies. Sutton has become a familiar face across American football coverage, known for her polished presenting style and sharp interview work, while Grella’s route into punditry has been shaped by a playing career that included spells in Major League Soccer and in England with New York City FC and Blackburn Rovers. Meola brings genuine pedigree as one of the most recognisable goalkeepers in the history of the United States men’s national team, having starred at multiple FIFA World Cups, and Davies, a former US international striker, adds the perspective of a player whose career took him from MLS to Europe and back again. Together, they give CBS a panel that combines experience, personality and a strong understanding of the modern US game.

For British viewers familiar with football broadcasters on this side of the Atlantic, the style will feel similar to the premium live-event production that Sky Sports or TNT Sports might deliver for a big domestic cup tie. CBS Sports Network’s US Open Cup output has also helped raise the competition’s profile in the United States, especially when paired with Paramount+ streams that make the tournament easier for subscribers to access. The Open Cup itself remains one of the oldest knockout competitions in world football, and it has long had the charm of pitting MLS sides against lower-league clubs in the early rounds before opening up to heavyweight clashes like this one. More on the competition can be found via the official US Soccer site at US Soccer’s Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup page.

On the pitch, Colorado Rapids will hope home advantage proves decisive in Commerce City, where altitude and familiarity can make Dick’s Sporting Goods Park a difficult place for visiting sides. San Jose Earthquakes, meanwhile, arrive with the sort of attacking intent that can make cup football unpredictable, particularly in a single-elimination tie where momentum can swing in an instant. The Open Cup has a habit of producing drama, and quarter-finals are often the stage where clubs begin to sense the proximity of silverware.

From a viewing perspective, the match is set to attract supporters who enjoy following live football beyond Europe’s traditional schedule. While British audiences are accustomed to domestic coverage from the BBC, ITV, Sky and TNT, American cup football increasingly has its own distinct broadcast identity, with CBS Sports Network and Paramount+ providing the platform here. That matters because the production values, studio analysis and live match presentation can shape how fans experience a tournament as much as the football itself.

Hailey Sutton has built a reputation as a reliable and engaging presenter, capable of steering live coverage smoothly through pre-match build-up and post-match reaction. Mike Grella, meanwhile, is often praised for his direct, football-first analysis, drawing on his time as a professional in both the US and UK to explain tactical details in a way that is accessible to viewers. Tony Meola offers the gravitas of a former elite international, while Charlie Davies brings energy, insight and the voice of a player who has experienced the pressures of major knockout football himself.

For anyone searching for where to watch Colorado Rapids v San Jose Earthquakes, the answer is straightforward: tune in on CBS Sports Network in the USA or stream via Paramount+, depending on your subscription and location. With the quarter-final stage of the US Open Cup guaranteeing no margin for error, this is exactly the kind of tie that can turn into a classic, and the broadcast team should have plenty to work with if the match lives up to its billing.

Article generated: 21 May 2026, 03:06 GMT