CHICAGO, IL–Due to the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup was cancelled for the first time ever in 2020. The Cup will return this year, but with fewer teams and a condensed schedule which will see the Cup Final at the end of June.
“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 of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said U.S. Open Cup Commissioner Paul Marstaller. “We also took into consideration the extended June FIFA window and the CONCACAF Gold Cup taking place through August 1, along with the semifinal and final rounds of the 2021 CONCACAF Champions League scheduled for 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.”
There will just five rounds compared to the usual eight, this year, and just 24 clubs in the proper tournament compared to 101 who were eligible in 2020.
The necessary reduction means for the first time since 2011 that not all eligible teams from U.S. Soccer’s three professional divisions will participate.
Despite the reduction, the Open Cup will still have representation from each of the four divisions that normally compete in the tournament: Professional Division I, Division II, Division III and the Open Division (encompassing all other affiliated teams and leagues).
Just four teams from the eligible 36 in the Open Division (which includes USL League Two) will compete in the Opening Round proper. Two teams each from NISA and USL League One will get slots in the Opening Round as will eight teams from the USL Championship. In the event that a contingency plan has to be enacted due to the severity of COVID-19, these allocations will be halved and the competition would start with the Round of 16.
Eight of the 24 eligible Major League Soccer teams will begin in the Round of 16 and each will face a winning team from the previous round on May 18th or 19th (assuming the Opening Round is played).
The quarterfinals would be the next week, the semifinals would be June 15th or 16th, and the Open Cup Final would take place on June 29th or 30th. Matches will still be streamed on ESPN+.
The 2021 US Open Cup winner will earn $300,000 in prize money, a berth in the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League and have its name engraved on the Dewar Challenge Trophy. Atlanta United are still the current holders winning the Cup in 2019.
