The details for the 2021 U.S. Open Cup have been announced. It will not include all eligible teams as in the recent past. https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/20...tingency-plan-for-2021-lamar-hunt-us-open-cup There will only be 24 teams invited to take part this year: Open Division 4 teams selected from the 36 teams that were eligible for the 2020 U.S. Open Cup. Division III 4 teams. 2 from USL League One and 2 from NISA Division II 8 teams from USL Championship Division I 8 teams from MLS We don't now yet which 8 MLS teams will participate. Schedule: 1st Round - May 4-5 The 16 teams from the 3 lower Divisions will face off. They will make a decision on March 29 if that round can take place. If not then only half the teams will be chosen to advance. Round of 16 - May 18-19 MLS teams will face 1st Round winners. Quarterfinals - May 25-26 Semifinals - June 15-16 Final - June 29-30
USL Championship has announced its 8 entrants. They are mostly the division winners from 2020. Sacramento Republic Phoenix Rising El Paso Locomotive San Antonio FC Louisville City Hartford Athletic Charlotte Independence Tampa Bay Rowdies There is a report that MLS will determine its entrants based on the first 3 games of the 2021 regular season. The eligible teams with 8 best records will qualify.
NISA has announced that their Open Cup entrants will be Detroit City FC (Fall Tournament winner) and LA Force (best group stage record).
USSF has announced that the first round of the 2021 U.S. Open Cup will not be held. They will go straight to round 2. https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/20...-opening-round-of-2021-lamar-hunt-us-open-cup Division I (8 slots) – Top eight USA-based Major League Soccer clubs from 2021 regular season play based on average standings points per game as of May 3 (after three weekends of action) Division II (4 slots) – USL Championship 2020 semifinal playoff teams: El Paso Locomotive FC, Louisville City FC, Phoenix Rising FC, Tampa Bay Rowdies Division III (2 slots) – National Independent Soccer Association 2020 Fall Champion Detroit City FC, USL League One 2020 Regular Season Champion Greenville Triumph SC Open Division (2 slots) – Random draw to be conducted on April 7 If the Dynamo can win 2 of the first 3 games we are almost guaranteed to qualify. 4 points might be enough but we would need a good goal difference to break ties.
First three opponents are home vs San Jose, @ Portland, home vs LAFC. That’s a tough draw and you need the 3 points vs SJ to have hope.
No problem! Domestic league point standings should have zero impact on the draw or format for a totally separate domestic Cup competition. As known around the world in pro soccer, a Cup competition is specifically that. Not part of any league.
Did you also notice the complete opposite using domestic league results to seed a completely different competition? It is below as well in bold detail. Open Division (2 slots) – Random draw to be conducted on April 7 So the think tank over at the USSF who are handling this 100+ year old tournament are using a random draw to seed a part of the field. If it is that simple than just implement this to the entire field. Again, it takes the shine off a domestic Cup competition when it is not just a stand alone tournament but a tournament affiliated via results or standings from another competition.
The Open Division entrants for the 2021 U.S. Open Cup have been determined via a random draw of eligible teams: Newtown Pride SC (USASA) Golden State Force (USL2) The other teams entered so far are: El Paso Locomotive FC (USL-C) Louisville City FC (USL-C) Phoenix Rising FC (USL-C) Tampa Bay Rowdies (USL-C) Detroit City FC (NISA) Greenville Triumph (USL1) Each of those 8 teams will play a MLS team in Round of 16. April 19 Date for confirming Round of 16* 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-II, 2 D-III, 2 Open Division clubs) May 25-26 Quarterfinal Round June 15-16 Semifinal Round June 29 or 30 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final * If conditions for holding Round of 16 cannot be met on April 19, 2021 tournament will be canceled
https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/20...hunt-us-open-cup-will-not-be-held-this-spring USSF has decided not to have the 2021 U.S. Open Cup this spring. There may be some sort of tournament later this year.
Well, that is probably for the best since I am sure that the Houston Dynamo are currently in private discussions/negotiations to join the Super League as a permanent member and begin European play this summer.
Haha! How does one even qualify for this new start up. Its not unlike when the Bad News Bears were not even North Valley Champions there in 1976, having lost to the Yankees in their league, but the Bears did go travel as California State Champions to play our Houston Torros as Texas State Champions in the Astrodome in 1977.