2021 US Open Cup

2021 US Open Cup officially canceled, largest Modern Era field possible for 2022

July 21, 2021 by Josh Hakala

The Lamar Hunt US Open Cup is set to make its return in 2022 for its 107th edition, following the cancellation the past two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2022 tournament is set to begin on March 22, and the Final slated to be played in mid-September. A smaller edition of the tournament was set to take place this year, but had to be called off and will not be rescheduled.

After the pandemic forced the US Open Cup to be canceled for the first time in the tournament’s history in 2020, the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) had planned to run an abbreviated 24-team edition of the competition for 2021. Then, it was announced it would be reduced to 16 teams before later being postponed. On Tuesday, the USSF announced that the 2021 US Open Cup would not be rescheduled.

“After calling off the 2021 edition of the Open Cup due to the remnant effects of COVID-19, we’re excited that we can put next year’s match dates on everyone’s calendar so early,” Commissioner Paul Marstaller said in a release. “The 2022 tournament will be the first in memory when all the top players will be available for selection for every round as none of the games involving Division I Major League Soccer or Division II USL Championship clubs will be played during an international call-up period, a necessary feature for building a credible national championship.”

Prior to being canceled last year, the 2020 US Open Cup was set to include a Modern Era (1995-present) record 100 teams. The 2022 competition could exceed that total.

Based on previously announced information from the federation, the 107th edition of the tournament next year could have as many as 107 teams, according to TheCup.us calculations. Twenty-five USA based MLS teams will participate in 2022, with the expansion of Charlotte FC in addition to the 24 existing teams. Thirteen of those teams will enter the Third Round, and the remaining 12 will enter in the Round of 32, matching the number of teams that would have entered the now cancelled 2020 tournament. In the second round, 26 USL championship teams will enter, with the 24 eligible USL Championship teams joined by two expansion teams, Monterrey Bay FC Union and Queensboro FC. The first round will have a combined 56 teams enter between all Division III leagues (currently USL League One and and the National Independent Soccer Association) and the Open Division. Of course this could all change if any teams change leagues, fold, or if any expansion teams join any of the pro leagues.

According to the federation’s release, there will be a couple of changes implemented for the 2022 tournament that were expected to be put in place ahead of the 2020 Open Cup.

Half of the eligible US-based Major League Soccer (MLS) teams will enter the tournament in the Third Round, which is the earliest the tournament’s top division will have entered the cup since 2013. According to the USSF, this was done to increase “the number of matches across multiple rounds between Division I clubs and those from lower divisions (“David vs. Goliath” pairings); it also increases the opportunity (from 11 in 2019) for lower division clubs to reach the Round of 32.”

The expanded tournament calendar, which begins in March, two months earlier than in almost every Modern Era tournament, will create several changes. According to the USSF release, the expanded calendar “will allow rounds to take place at least two weeks apart, providing additional time for home teams to market and sell tickets and for visiting clubs to arrange travel earlier at lower cost. In 2019, only one week separated the First and Second Rounds, as well as the rounds of 32 and 16”

Another biproduct of the tournament’s March start is that it all but eliminates the ability for college players to participate. The majority of teams in USL League Two and the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL) have rosters that rely on active college players. This schedule change and the lack of player availability prompted two of the best USL League Two teams, four-time champion Flint City Bucks and 2018 and 2019 league runner-up Reading United AC, to withdraw from the 2020 US Open Cup.

The 2022 CONCACAF Champions League berth, awarded to the 2021 US Open Cup champion, will be announced at a later date by the Board of Directors of US Soccer.

All matches will be broadcasted on ESPN+, including the Final.

Registration for amateur teams interested in competing in the Open Division Local Qualifying tournament for the 2022 US Open Cup are now open.

Here is how the competition schedule will breakdown:

Jan. 6 – Open Division berth allocation announced
Jan. 19 – First Round pairings announced
Jan. 26 – Second Round pairings and possible pairings announced
March 22-23 – First Round (Mexico-USA WCQ on March 24)
April 5-7 – Second Round
April 8 – Third Round Draw
April 19-21 – Third Round (a portion of Division I teams enter)
April 22 – Round of 32 Draw
May 10-11 – Round of 32 (remaining Division I teams enter)
May 12 – Round of 16/Quarterfinal Draw
May 24-25 – Round of 16
June 21-22 – Quarterfinals
June 23 – Semifinal/Final Hosting Draw
July 26-27 – Semifinals
Sept. 6-7 or 13-14 – 2022 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final

Tyler Fisher contributed to this report

2021 US Open Cup postponed leaving tournament’s 107th edition in doubt

April 16, 2021 by Josh Hakala

The COVID-19 pandemic has forced another change to the 2021 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. The 107th edition of the United States’ national championship was recently reduced to 24 teams (down from 100 in 2019), and then further shrunk to 16 teams. Now, the US Soccer Federation (USSF) has confirmed that the 2021 US Open Cup will not be played this spring and will be postponed.

This story was first reported by Phill Grooms of The Beautiful Game Network.

The United States Soccer Federation later made it official by announcing that the tournament will be postponed with the hopes of playing it later this year.

“The logistical and financial burdens to have the tournament take place this spring in the current environment are substantial,” said Paul Marstaller, US Open Cup commissioner, in the announcement. “Even though all of U.S. Soccer’s member professional teams will be playing in their respective league competitions this year, the Committee did not feel it wise to have clubs divert important resources during the next two months for Open Cup play. Instead, we will look further into the future to see what possibilities might exist for 2021. After that, a full-scale 2022 Open Cup is less than a year away.”

The current plan for the 2021 US Open Cup is a 16-team tournament

As we previously reported, the United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA) had recently sent a letter to the USSF asking that they cancel the 2021 competition due to the financial and logistical burdens that could potentially be placed on their two amateur teams by the federation’s COVID-19 safety protocols. After a blind draw, those two teams were revealed to be 2019 USASA Amateur Cup champion Newtown Pride FC (Conn.) and the Southern California-based FC Golden State Force of USL League Two.

As it stands, the 2021 US Open Cup format will feature 16 teams. Eight teams from MLS which are still to be determined, four from the USL Championship (El Paso Locomotive FC, Louisville City FC, Phoenix Rising FC, Tampa Bay Rowdies), one from USL League One (reigning champions Greenville Triumph FC), one from the National Independent Soccer Association (2020 NISA Fall Champion Detroit City FC) and the aforementioned amateur teams.

If played, the 16-team field would be the smallest field (including qualifying teams) in the history of the tournament.

The question going forward is can the federation find a way to fit even an abbreviated US Open Cup into the American soccer calendar before the fall? That will be a challenge with all of the professional teams handling their respective league schedules, not to mention the CONCACAF Champions League and the upcoming Leagues Cup that will pit MLS teams against Mexican clubs.

Newtown Pride, FC Golden State Force to represent amateurs in 2021 US Open Cup

April 7, 2021 by Michael Battista

2019 USASA Amateur Cup champion Newtown Pride FC (left) and FC Golden State Force (USL League Two) will be the amateur representatives in the abbreviated 2021 US Open Cup.

After weeks of anticipation, the two Open Division sides taking part in the 2021 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup were announced today. 2019 USASA Amateur Cup champion Newtown Pride FC (Conn.) and USL League Two’s FC Golden State Force will represent the amateur field in the competition.

Following the cancelation of the First Round, which reduced the already abbreviated tournament from 24 teams to 16, both amateur teams will face yet-to-be-determined Major League Soccer sides in the Round of 16. These games are scheduled to take place between May 18-19. The draw for the tournament will take place May 4, the day after Major League Soccer completes its qualifying process.

Despite the announcement, the 2021 US Open Cup is still not set in stone. The US Open Cup committee is scheduled to meet on April 19 to determine if the 107th edition of the United States’ national championship will go ahead. The United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA), the country’s largest amateur soccer organization, recently sent a letter to the USSF calling for the cancelation of the very reduced competition. As of this article being published, US Adult Soccer Association president John Motta, the author of the letter, has not received a response from the federation.

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This will be Golden State Force’s fourth straight appearance in an Open Cup tournament. Since joining USL League Two in 2016, the team has performed well enough each season, including three straight Southwest Division titles, to directly qualify for the competition. In 2018, the team became one of the few amateur teams in the Modern Era to ever reach the Fourth Round by beating professional sides Orange County SC (USL) and Las Vegas Lights FC (USL). The latter match was won off of a 90th minute game-winner from Allisson Faramilio, which earned him TheCup.us Player of the Round honors.

The team eventually fell to the LA Galaxy of Major League Soccer, 3-1, but did take home $25,000 prize as the furthest advancing Open Division team that year.

Interestingly, the Force will not compete in the league they qualified from this year. The day prior to the draw, USL League Two announced the Southwest Division would forgo the 2021 season due to concerns centered around the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Force vice president and general manager Alex Lujan, his team had every intention of playing the 2021 league season, but none of the teams in the Southwest Division shared their view and the division voted down the plan to play this summer.

“We are very excited to have the opportunity to compete in this year’s US Open Cup,” said Lujan shortly after learning the news.

Under normal circumstances, a team that does not play their league season is not eligible for the US Open Cup. However, a source within the USSF told TheCup.us that since the cancelation of their league season was due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Force are eligible to compete. While not participating in the 2021 league season will likely end their hopes of qualifying for the 2022 US Open Cup, Lujan plans to do whatever he can to have his team compete in league play.

This will be the first tournament appearance for Newtown Pride FC. The Connecticut-based club becomes the ninth team from the Nutmeg State to compete in the Modern Era (1995-present) and the first amateur, non-national league side to participate since Danbury United in 2007. Founded in 1999, the team won the 2019 USASA Amateur Cup to become just the second team to qualify for the US Open Cup via this method. The Amateur Cup champion was added as an automatic qualifier prior to the 2019 US Open Cup.

“We’re honored, we’re humbled – to be blunt we’re just really excited,” Newtown Pride FC GM and founder Matt Svanda said on Twitter. “For us, this is a dream. It’s why we play. It’s 20 years in the making. But don’t get us wrong – we’re in this to compete.”

Newtown first attempted to qualify for the US Open Cup back in 2013, back when Open Division Local teams had to get in through USASA state and regional tournaments. After losing their opening match with the New York Pancyprian Freedoms, they had their controversial protest upheld and a replay was ordered. Newtown would win the replay in a penalty kick shootout, but would lose the “Win and You’re In” match that followed, 6-0 to Mass Premier Soccer (now GPS Omens). After not qualifying in 2014, they returned in 2015 and lost their opening match to Lansdowne Bhoys.

Since the USSF launched the current qualifying tournament format in 2016, the Pride have attempted to qualify every year and have fallen short each time. Their best result was a Second Round appearance in 2017 (following a forfeit) where they lost to Massachusetts side GPS Omens in a “Win & You’re In” match.

While Connecticut clubs have been competing in the US Open Cup since it’s inaugural tournament in 1913-1914, in the Modern Era, Newtown will be just the sixth Open Division Local team to punch their ticket from the Nutmeg State.

Reactions from other Open Division teams have been mixed. FC Motown, whose streak of Open Cup appearances ends at three, expressed disappointment but wished both teams luck. Others are going through their own stages of grief like Denton Diablos (anger), the Des Moines Menace (bargaining), and Louisiana Krewe (acceptance). USASA president Motta posted on social media that he and the rest of the organization were excited to see Newtown compete.

The only remaining unknown clubs are which MLS teams will take part. Only eight teams from the top division will compete and those will be decided based on the top 8 teams in the regular season standings (based on points per game) after three weeks of games (May 3).

USASA calls for 2021 US Open Cup cancelation due to COVID costs

April 1, 2021 by Josh Hakala

Can amateur teams afford to participate in the 2021 US Open Cup?

After the 2020 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup tournament was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 edition of the United States’ soccer championship may be following the same path.

On Monday, the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) announced that the 2021 tournament, which was already reduced from 100 entries to 24, was going to be cut to 16 by canceling the First Round.

United States Adult Soccer Association (USASA) president John Motta confirmed to TheCup.us that a meeting between USASA leadership on March 29 produced a unanimous vote to recommend to the USSF that the 2021 US Open Cup should be canceled. Motta expressed this recommendation on behalf of the USASA in a letter to the federation (SEE: letter at bottom of page).

According to Motta, who has been the USASA president since 2014, the federation’s COVID protocols call for the following:

* Teams that would required to travel by air in the tournament would not be allowed to fly via a commercial airline. The team would have to charter a plane, and possibly two, depending on the size of the travel roster and coaching staff.

* Teams would be limited to one player or coach per hotel room.

* Teams would have to submit to three COVID-19 tests. One taken 48 hours before the game, another the day before the game and a third the day of the game.

With those requirements in place, this would potentially put the tournament out of reach for many amateur teams, and possibly some of the lower division professional teams. However, it is unclear if the USSF plans to cover any of these additional costs. When asked, the USSF declined to comment or confirm the details of the COVID-19 protocols.

“The US Open Cup is a great opportunity for amateur clubs to compete against professional clubs, which is at the very core of the US Open Cup,” said Motta. “The tournament is going to cost the federation a lot of money, and to not involve amateur teams, would be a disservice to our teams and the fans. We should just focus on bringing the US Open Cup back stronger than ever in 2022.”

A person familiar with the discussions within the Open Cup committee told TheCup.us that the “costs and requirements to make all entities comfortable will be outside of most teams’ budgets.”

However, while it’s unclear if the federation will be providing financial assistance, the representatives from the lower division professional teams from the USL Championship, USL League One, and the National Independent Soccer Association appear to be on board and ready to go for this abbreviated US Open Cup.

Three of the four of the USL Championship clubs that will take part (El Paso Locomotive FC, Louisville City FC, Phoenix Rising FC, Tampa Bay Rowdies) have said they are not concerned about the additional costs. Greenville Triumph (USL League One) and Detroit City FC (NISA) have both told TheCup.us that they are confident that they can handle whatever protocols are put in place.

It is worth noting that while the USASA doesn’t represent all of the amateur teams that take part in the US Open Cup, but they are, by far, the largest organization.

While, it will be a different challenge for amateur teams, for the lower division pros, it appears, the value of a US Open Cup match against a MLS team (all Round of 16 matches will be MLS vs. lower division teams), is more valuable to them than any potential travel and COVID-19 protocol costs.

Letter sent from the USASA to USSF president Cindy Parlow Cone. Posted on Twitter by @THEChrisKessell

2021 US Open Cup First Round canceled as tournament drops to 16 teams

March 30, 2021 by Michael Battista

US Open Cup trophy — Photo: Houston Dynamo

The US Soccer Federation announced on Monday that the 2021 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup will not include an opening round. Initially announced as a 24-team affair, the 107th edition of the tournament will now only have 16 entrants from across all four divisions of US Soccer.

The federation previously announced March 29 as the date where the committee would announce the Opening Round’s status.

In a similar vein to the historic cancelation of the 2020 tournament and the initial plans to abbreviate the 2021 edition, these changes are directly due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. U.S. Soccer’s Open Cup Committee met last week and cited travel concerns and the fact that multiple professional and amateur divisions and leagues will be competing as a basis to eliminate the First Round.

With the elimination of the First Round, three of the four divisions have had their team entrant slots cut in half. Division 2 (USL Championship) will have four teams compete while the two Division 3 leagues (National Independent Soccer Association & USL League One) will have one team each.

The biggest changes to the format happen at each end of the tier spectrum.

Division I (Major League Soccer) will still retain its eight spots as it was originally allocated for the 2021 tournament. These berths will be awarded to the top eight US-based teams through regular season play based on average standings points per game as of May 3, which is three weeks into the season and should account for three games. This will be the first time MLS has used regular season play as a US Open Cup qualifier since 2002. (This was first reported by Sam Stejskal and Jeff Rueter of The Athletic)

The two Open Division teams will be decided on April 7 through multiple random draws. The field of 37 eligible teams will be cut down to four as the committee randomly draws one representative from both national leagues (National Premier Soccer League and USL League Two) and the group of local qualifiers. The 2019 USASA Amateur Cup champion, Newtown Pride FC, is automatically moved to the final draw of four teams.

As it stands, Newtown has the best chance of reaching the tournament with a 50% chance of being drawn. After both draws, NPSL teams only have 3.8% chance each of qualifying while USL2 teams (with only 10 eligible teams) fare slightly better with 5% chance each. A local qualifier meanwhile has a 4.2% chance of being drawn.

“It’s an amazing opportunity for our club, but it’s bittersweet with the amateur teams being cut down to just two,” said Newtown Pride general manager Matt Svanda. “For amateur teams like us, this tournament means everything, and we feel like we earned our spot by winning the Amateur Cup. It’s a shame that fewer teams will have the chance to be a Cinderella story.”

Denton Diables FC, a Denton, Texas based NPSL side who originally qualified for the 2020 tournament via their inaugural 2019 league results, has let their disappointment be known on social media. Diablos co-founder Damon Gochneaur told TheCup.us that he lamented that it feels like the chance to compete was being taken from his group.

“We are deeply saddened by the Open Cup Committee’s decision. To say we’re disappointed would be a gross misrepresentation. We’re gutted and scorned, and will have a proper response in due time. We earned our right it was seemingly stolen from us by the very entity meant to protect that right. Put an asterisk next to this year, because it’s not an Open Cup, it’s a Closed Cup. But this isn’t at all surprising, we began working on our plans for 2022 qualification long ago, and this changes them none.”

Following this draw, the Round of 16 will be confirmed on April 19. Similar to the March 29 announcement, the tournament committee will meet prior to determine if the competition can be played. If not, the 107th edition of the US Open Cup will once again be canceled. If not, the draw will take place on May 4, one day after the eight MLS teams are confirmed, and the first games will kick off on Tuesday, May 18 and Wednesday, May 19.

The teams will be pooled together geographically and the Round of 16 will have each MLS team face a lower division side. The last time MLS entered the tournament and did not have at least one MLS vs MLS matchup was 2014. The May 4 draw will also determine home teams for both the Round of 16 and Quarterfinals, while also setting a bracket for the remainder of the tournament.

If the 2021 US Open Cup is played with 16 teams it will match the 1995 and 1996 tournaments as one of the smallest fields in history. Factoring in the lack of qualifying games, 2021 would, by far, be the fewest number of tournament entries.

As of now, six of the participating teams are known:

Division II

USL Championship (4):

El Paso Locomotive FC
Louisville City FC
Phoenix Rising FC (2020 USL-C Western Conference Champion)
Tampa Bay Rowdies (2020 USL-C Eastern Conference Champion)

First reported by Jeff Rueter of The Athletic, with the four teams left out being the Charlotte Independence, Hartford Athletic, San Antonio FC, and Sacramento Republic (who took the place of the recently folded Reno 1868 FC)

Division III

National Independent Soccer Association (1):

Detroit City FC (2020 NISA Fall Champion)

First reported by Michael Lewis & First Team Podcast, with 2020 NISA Fall Championship group stage leader Los Angeles Force left out

USL League One (1):

Greenville Triumph SC (2020 USLL1 Regular Season/League Champion)

The still eligible teams that have not been determined are:

Division I

Major League Soccer (8):

Atlanta United FC (reigning Lamar Hunt US Open Cup champion), Austin FC, Chicago Fire FC, Colorado Rapids, Columbus Crew SC, D.C. United, FC Cincinnati, FC Dallas, Houston Dynamo FC, Inter Miami CF, Los Angeles Football Club, LA Galaxy, Minnesota United FC, Nashville SC, New England Revolution, New York City FC, New York Red Bulls, Orlando City SC, Philadelphia Union, Portland Timbers, Real Salt Lake, San Jose Earthquakes, Seattle Sounders FC, Sporting Kansas City

Open Division (2)

Local Qualifiers:

Cal FC (Calif.), Christos FC (Md.), Chula Vista FC (Calif.), Harpos FC* (Colo.), Louisiana Krewe FC (La.), Miami United FC (Fla.), Nashville United (Tenn.), New York Pancyprian Freedoms (N.Y.), NTX Rayados (Texas), Olympic Club (Calif.), Vereinigung Erzgebirge (Pa.), Virginia United (Va.)

* Known in 2020 as FC Boulder Harpos

2019 U.S. Adult Soccer Association National Amateur Cup champion:

Newtown Pride FC (Conn.)

National Premier Soccer League:

ASC San Diego, Atlantic City FC, Cleveland SC, Denton Diablos FC, FC Arizona, FC Davis, FC Motown, Fort Worth Vaqueros, Med City FC, Minneapolis City SC, Naples United FC, Tulsa Athletic, West Chester United SC

USL League Two:

Chicago FC United, Corpus Christi FC, Des Moines Menace, FC Golden State Force, North Carolina Fusion U23, South Carolina United Bantams, South Georgia Tormenta FC 2, The Villages SC, Ventura County Fusion, Western Mass Pioneers

Updated 2021 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Competition Schedule

April 7: Draw held to determine the two Open Division participants into Round of 16

April 19: Date for confirming Round of 16 (if conditions for holding the Round of 16 cannot be met, the tournament will be canceled)

May 3: Date for determining MLS participants into Round of 16

May 4: Round of 16/Quarterfinal Draw

May 18-19: Round of 16 (8 D-I teams vs. 4 D-2 , 2 D-3 , 2 Open Division teams)

May 25-26: Quarterfinal Round

June 15-16: Semifinal Round

June 29 or 30: 2021 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Final

2021 US Open Cup format: Tournament shrinks due to COVID-19 pandemic

February 9, 2021 by Michael Battista

UPDATE (3/30/21): The 2021 US Open Cup has been reduced to 16 teams

The US Soccer Federation has announced the format for the 2021 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup. The 107th edition of the tournament will feature 24 teams, the smallest field in nearly three decades, in a five-round competition. The First Round is scheduled to begin on May 4-5 with the Final culminating on June 29 or 30.

The news was first reported by Brian Straus of Sports Illustrated Soccer on Feb. 8.

The format change is due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The 2020 US Open Cup was set to feature a Modern Era record 100 teams before the tournament was canceled for the first time in its 106-year history. Now, the 2021 will feature a drastically reduced field due to safety concerns and a crowded soccer calendar according to US Open Cup commissioner Paul Marstaller.

“As we looked at our scheduling options, the Open Cup Committee first prioritized the health and safety of the players and decided against scheduling matches in both March and April due to the ongoing circumstances with the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Marstaller in a statement. “We also took into consideration the extended June FIFA window and the Concacaf Gold Cup taking place through Aug. 1, along with the semifinal and final rounds of the 2021 Concacaf Champions League being scheduled in the fall.

“In the end, we all felt a shortened version for this year was the best format, and we’re excited to have the opportunity to crown a champion after not being able to in 2020.”

The prize money for the tournament remains the same with $300,000 awarded to the winner and $100,000 to the runner-up. The teams that advance the furthest from each lower division will earn $25,000, as long as they advance at least one round.

Due to the reduction of teams in the tournament, no professional league will have every member team take part. This will be the first time since 2011 that not every Major League Soccer team takes part in the tournament. In addition, of the 36 Open Division teams that qualified for the 2020 only 1/9th of them will be included in the new 2021 format.

The current allocation of tournament berths are as follows:

Open Division (4)

Four of the 36 Open Division clubs will be invited to take part in the tournament. Teams from this group include:

12 from the qualifying tournament held in the fall of 2019
2019 U.S. Adult Soccer Association (USASA) National Amateur Cup champion (Newtown Pride FC)
14 teams from the National Premier Soccer League (NPSL)
11 teams from USL League Two

Division III (4)

Both the National Independent Soccer Association and USL League One will be allocated two team berths each.

All nine Spring 2021 NISA teams are eligible
Nine teams from USL1 are eligible

Division II (8)

The USL Championship will be allocated eight spots. Of the 31 teams currently slated to compete in 2021, 24 are eligible for a tournament spot.

Division I (8)

Major League Soccer will be given the final eight spots in the 2021 tournament. All 24-US based teams are eligible for the tournament.

TheCup.us can confirm that both leagues and teams were informed of this yesterday (Feb. 8). One of the professionally sanctioned leagues that was reached for comment said team selection was “still being determined.”

Additionally, certain deadline and eligibility requirements have been waived for the 2021 tournament. Section 202(a) of the Open Cup Policy cites that Open Division teams must remain in good standing with their respective leagues, including taking part in continued league matches. However, with the cancelation of many league seasons, including both NPSL and USL2’s in 2020, this has been waived. Also due to the extenuating circumstances and multiple Open Division Local Qualifying teams switching leagues since the conclusion of the Fall 2019 tournament, the committee has waived this rule meaning all 12 are still eligible.

This has been a problem two times in recent memory. In 2017, Minneapolis City SC was disqualified from the tournament following its qualification after it jumped from the Premier League of America to the NPSL. One year later, 1993 Cup champions El Farolito SC met the same fate when they joined the NPSL from the San Francisco Soccer Football League after securing a tournament spot.

US Soccer has also formulated a contingency encase COVID-19 or other hurdles come into play. If by March 29, the Open Cup Committee feels the Opening Round matches are in danger of being disrupted, the entire round can be cancelled outright. In this scenario, all leagues/divisions besides Major League Soccer would have their team berth allocations cut in half (USLC gets 4 teams, NISA/USL1 get 1 each, Open Division gets 2). The tournament would then start with the Round of 16 on May 18-19 (if the committee agrees conditions are favorable).

If conditions for holding Round of 16 cannot be met on April 19, tournament for 2021 will be canceled

2021 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Competition Schedule

March 29: Date for confirming Opening Round

March 31: Opening Round matchups announced

April 19: Date for confirming Round of 16

April 21 or 28: Round of 16/Quarterfinal Draw (can held earlier if Opening Round is not played)

May 4-5: Opening Round (8 USLC, 4 NISA/USLL1, 4 Open Division teams)

May 18-19: Round of 16 (8 D-I teams vs. winners from Opening Round)

May 25-26: Quarterfinal Round

June 15-16: Semifinal Round

June 29 or 30: Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final

Continuing the four-year deal signed in 2019, all US Open Cup matches will be broadcasted on ESPN+. This will be the second tournament to be shown on the platform.

—

While we do not know which teams are going to take part in the 2021 U.S. Open Cup tournament, here are a few reminders on recent performances:

Major League Soccer

2020 MLS Cup – Columbus Crew SC

2020 Supporters Shield – Philadelphia Union

2020 MLS is Back – Portland Timbers

Other eligible teams – Atlanta United FC (reigning Lamar Hunt US Open Cup champion), Austin FC, Chicago Fire FC, Colorado Rapids, D.C. United, FC Cincinnati, FC Dallas, Houston Dynamo FC, Inter Miami CF, Los Angeles Football Club, LA Galaxy, Minnesota United FC, Nashville SC, New England Revolution, New York City FC, New York Red Bulls, Orlando City SC, Real Salt Lake, San Jose Earthquakes, Seattle Sounders FC, Sporting Kansas City

USL Championship

2020 League Champion – N/A
(Final between Tampa Bay Rowdies & Phoenix Rising FC cancelled)

Other eligible teams – Austin Bold FC, Birmingham Legion FC, Charleston Battery, Charlotte Independence, Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC, El Paso Locomotive FC, FC Tulsa, Hartford Athletic, Indy Eleven, Las Vegas Lights FC, Louisville City FC, Memphis 901 FC, Miami FC, New Mexico United, Oakland Roots SC, OKC Energy FC, Orange County SC, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, Rio Grande Valley FC Toros, Sacramento Republic FC, San Antonio FC, San Diego Loyal SC

(Note: Rio Grande Valley FC Toros is eligible for the US Open Cup tournament for the first time due to its restructured agreement with Houston Dynamo FC, which gives full operation of team operations back to RGVFC.)

USL League One

2020 League Champion – Greenville Triumph SC
(awarded after final vs Union Omaha cancelled)

Other eligible teams – Chattanooga Red Wolves SC, FC Tucson, Forward Madison FC, North Carolina FC, Richmond Kickers, South Georgia Tormenta FC, Union Omaha

(Note: FC Tucson is eligible for the US Open Cup for the first time since 2018 and its jump to professional play. This is due to the separation of the team from its previous owner, USL Championship side Phoenix Rising FC.)

National Independent Soccer Association

2020 Fall Champions – Detroit City FC

Other eligible teams – 1904 FC, California United Strikers FC, Chattanooga FC, LA Force, Maryland Bobcats FC, Michigan Stars FC, New Amsterdam FC, Stumptown Athletic

USASA Amateur Cup

2019 Champions – Newtown Pride FC (No 2020 edition)

National Premier Soccer League

2019 National Semifinalists – Cleveland FC & ASC San Diego (2020 season cancelled)

Other eligible teams – Atlantic City FC, Denton Diablos FC, FC Arizona, FC Davis, FC Motown, Fort Worth Vaqueros, Med City FC, Minneapolis City SC, Naples United FC, Tulsa Athletic, West Chester United SC

(Note: Both 2019 Champion Miami FC & Runner-up New York Cosmos B are no longer with the league. Additionally, Crossfire Redmond was allocated a spot in the 2020 US Open Cup but no longer appears on the list. They are currently listed as an active team on NPSL’s website)

USL League Two

2019 National Semifinalists – FC Golden State Force & South Georgia Tormenta FC 2 (2020 season cancelled)

Other eligible teams – Chicago FC United, Corpus Christi FC, Des Moines Menace, North Carolina Fusion U23, South Carolina United Bantams, The Villages SC, Ventura County Fusion, Western Mass Pioneers

(Note: Both 2019 Champion Flint City Bucks & Runner-Up Reading United AC pulled out of the 2020 tournament due to player eligibility concerns. Neither have become re-eligible. Additionally, GPS Portland Phoenix was allocated a spot in the 2020 US Open Cup but no longer appears on the list. USL League Two has not updated its team listing for 2021 as of this writing.)

US Open Cup Committee minutes: Foreign player limit gone; canceled 2020 plans

February 6, 2021 by Jake Sillick

The Soccer House in Chicago, the headquarters for the US Soccer Federation.

In 2020, United States Soccer Federation Policy 414-1 Section 4 was amended to state that all meeting minutes of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup committee shall be posted to the USSF website after approval of the committee. US Soccer has recently started to post minutes from the past year of these committee meetings, with all minutes available to view here. Most of the meetings in 2020 had been about the COVID-19 pandemic, but recently the committee has started planning for the 2021 US Open Cup, making a decision on one key policy change.

As the USSF policy amendment was approved at the 2020 US Soccer AGM, all meeting minutes from March 2020 and on will be posted on the website.

March 13, 2020 meeting

Just as all professional sports leagues were shutting down for the COVID-19 pandemic, so too did the Open Cup. In a 15-minute conference call, the committee voted to temporarily suspend the 2020 US Open Cup and with plans to reconvene once decisions on next steps are either required or advantageous to take.

May 25, 2020 meeting

In a meeting that was entirely conducted over email over a period of about two weeks, the committee approved a staff recommended, scaled down US Open Cup for 2020.

1. Tournament will be no more than five rounds involving no more than 32 teams (thus eliminating the first three rounds originally planned)
2. Earliest the tournament would restart is Sept. 22-23 (dates originally held for the Final)
3. At least one slot in the tournament will be reserved for a team from the Open Division with the team(s) determined via random draw from among those 38 qualified clubs who wish to and are able to participate in the Fall
4. Only those teams from the 100 originally qualified are eligible to participate

This measure was approved by four out of the five committee members, with the remaining member, Todd Durbin of MLS, not voting.

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July 31, 2020 meeting

In another meeting over email, the committee unanimously decided to
1. Cancel the 2020 tournament
2. Cancel the 2021 Open Division qualifying tournament
3. Conduct the 2021 tournament as normal, with those Open Division clubs who qualified for 2020 included in the 2021 competition
4. Have U.S. Soccer announce these decisions at the earliest opportunity.

In regard to No. 4, US Soccer would announce these decisions on Aug. 17, 2020.

December 15, 2020 meeting

This meeting was the first one to start planning for the 2021 US Open Cup. One major item was discussed and voted upon.

The committee voted unanimously to change Policy Section 203(a) and eliminate the pro team foreign-player limit for Open Cup competition.

The following part from Open Cup Section 203(a) was removed.

Professional teams may have no more than 5 foreign players listed. Amateur teams are not restricted as to the number of foreign players they may list. Foreign players shall be those players who are not protected individuals as defined in 8 U.S.C. § 1324b. (e.g., U.S. Citizens, lawful permanent residents, asylees and refugees). Any conflicting Outdoor Professional League roster rules shall not apply to the number of foreign players allowed to compete in the Open Cup.

Of note, this does not invalidate or override any roster rules set forth by the professional leagues themselves. Foreign player roster rules for each league are listed below.

MLS:
Eight player slots per team, and those slots can be traded intraleague in full season increments (with two permanent roster slot trades grandfathered in). All expansion teams receive 8 slots at the start. Homegrown foreign players do not take up a slot.

USL Championship:
Seven player slots per team. Those slots can be traded intraleague and expire at the end of the season. All teams start each league year with 7 player slots.

USL League One:
Seven player slots per team. No trades allowed.

NISA:
Seven player slots per team. No trades allowed.

Finally, the committee “engaged in an open-ended discussion regarding scheduling and format matters relating to the 2021 Open Cup. No decisions were made.”

The conference call lasted approximately 45 minutes total.

January 5, 2021 meeting

No matters were decided upon in this meeting. In a one hour and 20-minute conference call, the committee had another open-ended discussion regarding scheduling and format matters relating to the 2021 Open Cup with no decisions made.

There was another Open Cup committee meeting on Jan. 12, 2021, but those meeting minutes have not been approved by the committee and posted yet. The most recent minutes approval was on Feb. 2, 2021 where the Jan. 5, 2021 meeting minutes were approved.