2021 U.S. Open Cup

The 2021 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is planned to be the 107th edition of the U.S. Open Cup, a knockout cup competition in American soccer. Atlanta United FC were the defending champions after defeating Minnesota United FC in the 2019 final. After the 2020 competition was suspended and ultimately canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the United States Soccer Federation announced that qualification for the 2021 Open Cup would be canceled and all 100 teams that had qualified for that competition would be invited back.[1]

2021 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
CountryUnited States
Teams102
← 2020
2022 →

Teams

Should all of the qualified teams from the 2020 competition agree to return, the 2021 Open Cup will feature 102 teams, including 64 professional sides—both modern-era records. The 2020 field featured 62 professional teams out of 100 total; those numbers would each grow by two, with three professional teams making their debut (Austin FC, New Amsterdam FC, and New Jersey Teamsterz FC), one returning (New York Cosmos), and two folding (Reno 1868 FC and 2019 quarterfinalists Saint Louis FC).[2] Entrants include the American clubs from across the soccer leagues system, with timing determined by league division. These include the 24 American clubs of Major League Soccer, as well as the teams in the USL Championship and USL League One that are not owned or operated by an MLS team; MLS-affiliated clubs from these leagues are eligible. In addition, clubs from the National Independent Soccer Association (NISA), a sanctioned Division III league, are set to take part. This would be the first time two professional leagues from the same tier have both competed in the tournament since 2017.

NOTE: This table shows the teams that qualified for the 2020 Open Cup, as well as professional teams that are set to debut in 2021, and may be updated as teams accept or decline invitations.

Enter in First Round Enter in Second Round Enter in Third Round Enter in Round of 32
Open Division Division III Division II Division I
ANFEEU/USASA/USCS/USSSA
13 teams		 NPSL/USL League Two
25 teams		 NISA/USL League One
17 teams		 USL Championship
23 teams		 MLS
24 teams
ANFEEU
USASA
USCS
USSSA
NPSL
USL League Two
NISA
USL League One

Number of teams by state

Should all of the qualified teams from the 2020 competition agree to return, the 2021 field will represent a total of 35 states and the District of Columbia.

States Number Teams
1  California 17 ASC San Diego, Cal FC, California United Strikers FC, Chula Vista FC, FC Davis, FC Golden State Force, LA Galaxy, Los Angeles FC, Los Angeles Force, Oakland Roots SC, Olympic Club, Orange County SC, Sacramento Republic FC, San Diego Loyal SC, San Diego 1904 FC, San Jose Earthquakes, Ventura County Fusion
2  Texas 10 Austin Bold FC, Austin FC, Corpus Christi FC, Denton Diablos FC, El Paso Locomotive FC, FC Dallas, Fort Worth Vaqueros FC, Houston Dynamo FC, NTX Rayados, San Antonio FC
3  Florida 7 Inter Miami CF, Miami FC, Miami United FC U23, Naples United FC, Orlando City SC, Tampa Bay Rowdies, The Villages SC
4  Tennessee 5 Chattanooga FC, Chattanooga Red Wolves SC, Memphis 901 FC, Nashville SC, Nashville United
5  North Carolina 4 Charlotte Independence, North Carolina FC, North Carolina Fusion U23, Stumptown Athletic
 New Jersey Atlantic City FC, FC Motown, New Jersey Teamsters FC, New York Red Bulls
 New York New Amsterdam FC, New York City FC, New York Cosmos, New York Pancyprian-Freedoms
 Pennsylvania Philadelphia Union, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, Vereinigung Erzgebirge, West Chester United SC
9  Colorado 3 Colorado Rapids, Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC, FC Boulder Harpos
 Georgia Atlanta United FC, South Georgia Tormenta FC, South Georgia Tormenta FC 2
 Minnesota Med City FC, Minneapolis City SC, Minnesota United FC
 Ohio Cleveland SC, Columbus Crew SC, FC Cincinnati
 Oklahoma FC Tulsa, OKC Energy FC, Tulsa Athletic
 South Carolina Charleston Battery, Greenville Triumph SC, SC United Bantams
15  Arizona 2 FC Arizona, Phoenix Rising FC
 Connecticut Hartford Athletic, Newtown Pride FC
 Illinois Chicago FC United, Chicago Fire FC
 Massachusetts New England Revolution, Western Mass Pioneers
 Michigan Detroit City FC, Michigan Stars FC
 Virginia Richmond Kickers, Virginia United
 Washington Crossfire Redmond, Seattle Sounders FC
22  Alabama 1 Birmingham Legion
 District of Columbia D.C. United
 Indiana Indy Eleven
 Iowa Des Moines Menace
 Kansas Sporting Kansas City
 Kentucky Louisville City FC
 Louisiana Louisiana Krewe FC
 Maine GPS Portland Phoenix
 Maryland Christos FC
 Nebraska Union Omaha
 Nevada Las Vegas Lights FC
 New Mexico New Mexico United
 Oregon Portland Timbers
 Utah Real Salt Lake
 Wisconsin Forward Madison FC

States without a team in the Open Cup: Alaska, Arkansas, Delaware, Hawaii, Idaho, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

Broadcasting

All matches from the first round to the final are expected to be streamed on ESPN+. U.S. Soccer and ESPN signed a 4-year deal to air the tournament in 2019.[2] However, due to the 2020 competition's cancelation, there has been no confirmation on whether this will be considered the 2nd or 3rd year of the deal.

References
  1. "2020 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Cancelled Due to COVID-19" (Press release). United States Soccer Federation. August 17, 2020. Retrieved August 17, 2020.
  2. "Record-Setting 100 Teams Confirmed for 2020 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, 107th Edition of U.S. Soccer's National Championship" (Press release). U.S. Soccer. January 8, 2020. Retrieved January 10, 2020.
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