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 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
Really curious to see what the criteria for each league is used to determine participants. It is pretty ironic that there are 24 MLS teams based in the US but using just those would lose the very intent of this tournament and make it a league cup.
TheCup.us @usopencup 1h #USOC2021 report. The 8 #USL Championship teams taking part in the tourney are: Sacramento #ItTakesARepublic Phoenix #RisingAsOne El Paso #VamosLocos San Antonio #Defend210 Louisville #LouCity Hartford #FortressHartford Charlotte #WeAreCLT Tampa #TogetherRowdies
Detroit, LA to represent NISA in Open Cup Mar 22, 2021 https://www.frontrowsoccer.com/2021/03/22/theyre-in-detroit-la-to-represent-nisa-in-open-cup/
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
The Round of 16 Draw, scheduled for May 4, will also decide the pairings and home teams for the Quarterfinal Round while setting the bracket for the remainder of the tournament. A separate draw after the Quarterfinal Round will determine the Semifinal Round hosts and the priority order for hosting the 2021 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final.
Newtown Pride FC 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.”
https://thecup.us/2021/04/01/usasa-calls-for-2021-us-open-cup-cancelation-due-to-covid-costs/ 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 be canceled. Motta expressed this recommendation on behalf of the USASA in a letter to the federation
Wow! The COVID protocols do seem pretty expensive. But the pro teams seem to on board. The concern is for the amateur teams but if I understand it correctly there are only two Open Division teams. Maybe the USSF can assist them. USASA's objection isn't clearly stated but the reduction of teams seems like it might be their primary objection.
U.S. Open Cup @opencup 33m Official Draw to decide which two Open Division amateur teams will take part in #USOC2021 will happen at Soccer House in Chicago on April 7 @ 12 noon ET.
TheCup.us @usopencup 20m @USLLeagueTwo (5% chance of selection each): @ChicagoFCU_USL @CorpusCFC @MenaceSoccer94 @FCGSForce @NCFusionU23 @scunitedbantams @TormentaFC_2 @TheVillagesSC @VCFusion @WMassPioneers
U.S. Open Cup @opencup 1h Both @NewtownPrideFC of CT & FC Golden State Force @FCGSForce of @USLLeagueTwo will represent the amateur Open Division at #USOC2021
There has been lots of criticism about this year's format but I think that the lack of preferential treatment for MLS clubs offsets the smaller number of participants. At least every entrant has to win the same number of matches to win the cup. Hopefully next year they will adopt that for an expanded tournament.