2021 U.S. Open Cup

{{short description|Canceled edition of cup competition in American soccer}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=September 2019}}

{{Use American English|date=August 2024}}

{{infobox football tournament season

|title = Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup

|year = 2021

|dates =

|other_title =

|image =

|imagesize =

|caption =

|country = United States

|num_teams = 102

|champions = Canceled

|runner-up =

|matches =

|goals =

|top goal scorer =

|player =

|prevseason = 2020

|nextseason = 2022

}}

The 2021 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup was planned to be the 107th edition of the U.S. Open Cup, a knockout cup competition in American soccer. 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.{{cite press release |date=August 17, 2020 |title=2020 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Cancelled Due to COVID-19 |url=https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2020/08/2020-lamar-hunt-us-open-cup-cancelled-due-to-covid19 |publisher=United States Soccer Federation |access-date=August 17, 2020}} Atlanta United FC won the previous tournament after defeating Minnesota United FC in the 2019 final.

On February 8, 2021, the U.S. Soccer Federation stated that only 24 teams would be allowed to participate in a new abbreviated tournament, with the exact qualification details still being determined.{{cite magazine |date=February 8, 2021 |title=U.S. Soccer's Plans for an Abbreviated 2021 U.S. Open Cup|url=https://www.si.com/soccer/2021/02/08/us-open-cup-2021-plans-us-soccer-teams-format |magazine=Sports Illustrated |access-date=February 9, 2021}} On March 29, U.S. Soccer announced the tournament would be downsized to 16 teams who would play four rounds. The opening round was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, while the Open Cup Committee convened to decide whether the competition could proceed. This version of the tournament was to feature eight Major League Soccer teams, four USL Championship teams, one National Independent Soccer Association team, one USL League One team, and two teams from the Open Division determined by a random draw.{{cite press release |date=March 29, 2021 |title=Open Cup Committee Decides Not to Play Opening Round of U.S. Open Cup Due to Challenges Surrounding Covid Pandemic; Teams Will Enter Tournament at Round of 16 |url=https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2021/03/open-cup-committee-decides-not-to-play-opening-round-of-2021-lamar-hunt-us-open-cup |publisher=United States Soccer Federation |accessdate=March 29, 2021}}

The United States Adult Soccer Association recommended that the 2021 edition of the tournament be cancelled due to the additional travel expenses needed to comply with COVID-19 distancing and safety requirements, which would place an undue burden on amateur teams.{{cite news |last=Hakala |first=Josh |date=April 1, 2021 |title=USASA calls for 2021 US Open Cup cancelation due to COVID costs |url=https://thecup.us/2021/04/01/usasa-calls-for-2021-us-open-cup-cancelation-due-to-covid-costs/ |work=TheCup.us |accessdate=November 22, 2024}} U.S. Soccer announced in April that the tournament would not be held in the spring due to a combination of financial and logistical issues, and that they were evaluating holding the tournament later in the year.{{cite web|url=https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2021/04/open-cup-committee-determines-2021-lamar-hunt-us-open-cup-will-not-be-held-this-spring|title=Open Cup Committee Determines 2021 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Will Not Be Held This Spring|publisher=United States Soccer Federation|date=April 16, 2021|accessdate=April 16, 2021}} On July 20, U.S. Soccer finally announced that the tournament would be canceled for 2021 and would resume in 2022.{{cite web|url=https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2021/07/schedule-announced-for-next-edition-of-lamar-hunt-us-open-cup-in-2022|title=SCHEDULE ANNOUNCED FOR NEXT EDITION OF LAMAR HUNT U.S. OPEN CUP IN 2022|publisher=United States Soccer Federation|date=July 20, 2021|accessdate=July 20, 2021}}