Though it is the defending champion, Atlanta United doesn’t know if it will be one of the eight MLS clubs scheduled to compete in this year’s shortened U.S. Open Cup.
U.S. Soccer released the details of the tournament Tuesday. Atlanta United won the event in 2019. It was canceled last year because of COVID-19.
The champion of the tournament typically receives $300,000 in prize money and a berth in next year’s Champions League. As the 2019 champ, and because the Open Cup wasn’t played in 2020, Atlanta United received a spot in this year’s Champions League.
However, the defending Open Cup champ isn’t guaranteed a spot in next year’s tournament. Typically, that hasn’t been an issue because U.S.-based MLS teams are automatically granted spots in each year’s tournament. MLS teams have won the past 20 tournaments.
The Open Cup Committee will decide which eight MLS teams will compete.
This year’s tournament is scheduled to start March 29 with the final June 29 or June 30.
Only 24 of a possible 101 clubs will compete because of the shortened time frame. Those clubs include four from the Open Division, four from Division III, including two from NISL and two from USL League One, eight from USL Championship, and eight from MLS. USL clubs who are owned by a higher-division club aren’t allowed to compete. meaning Atlanta United 2 is ineligible.
MLS clubs will enter the tournament during the Round of 16, scheduled for May 18-19. ESPN-Plus will broadcast the games.
Another change to this year’s tournament is that the cap on foreign players allowed to compete was eliminated.
2021 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Competition Schedule
March 29 - Date for confirming the 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 (held earlier if opening found is not played)
May 4-5 - Opening round (Eight D USLC, four NISA/USLL1, four Open Division clubs)
May 18-19 - Round of 16 (Eight MLS teams vs. winners from opening round)
May 25-26 - Quarterfinals
June 15-16 - Semifinals
June 29 or 30 - Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Final
* If conditions for holding the opening round cannot be met March 29, the opening round will be canceled.
** If conditions for holding the Round of 16 cannot be met April 19, the tournament will be canceled.
2021 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Eligible Teams
Professional Division Teams
Division I – MLS (24 teams): Atlanta United FC (reigning Lamar Hunt U.S. 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
Division II – USL Championship (24 teams, excluding those majority-owned or otherwise controlled by a higher division professional club): 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, OKC Energy FC, Orange County SC, Phoenix Rising FC, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, Rio Grande Valley FC Toros, Sacramento Republic FC, San Antonio FC, San Diego Loyal SC, Tampa Bay Rowdies
Division III – National Independent Soccer Association (nine teams): 1904 FC, California United Strikers FC, Chattanooga FC, Detroit City FC, LA Force, Maryland Bobcats FC, Michigan Stars FC, New Amsterdam FC, Stumptown Athletic
Division III – USL League One (Eight teams, excluding those majority-owned or otherwise controlled by a higher division professional club): Chattanooga Red Wolves SC, FC Tucson, Forward Madison FC, Greenville Triumph SC, North Carolina FC, Richmond Kickers, South Georgia Tormenta FC, Union Omaha
Open Division Teams
Local Qualifiers (12): East Region: Christos FC (Md.), New York Pancyprian Freedoms (N.Y.), Vereinigung Erzgebirge (Pa.), Virginia United* (Va.) Central Region: Louisiana Krewe FC (La.), Miami United FC (Fla.), Nashville United (Tenn.), NTX Rayados* (Texas) West Region: Cal FC* (Calif.), Chula Vista FC (Calif.), Harpos FC** (Colo.), Olympic Club (Calif.) * Participated in 2019 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup ** 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 (13): 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 * Participated in 2019 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
The NPSL entered its teams via the National Leagues track under Open Cup regulations.
USL League Two (10): 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
* Participated in 2019 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
USL League Two entered its teams via the National Leagues track under Open Cup regulations.
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