Citing logistical and financial challenges still in place amid the COVID-19 pandemic, U.S. Soccer’s Open Cup Committee decided at its meeting this week not to hold the tournament’s 2021 edition — which was to include Louisville City FC in a 16-team field — as scheduled this spring.
The committee will evaluate the possibility of conducting the Open Cup in some fashion later in the year.
“The logistical and financial burdens to have the tournament take place this spring in the current environment are substantial,” said Open Cup Commissioner Paul Marstaller. “Even though all of U.S. Soccer’s member professional teams will be playing in their respective league competitions this year, the committee did not feel it wise to have clubs divert important resources during the next two months for Open Cup play. Instead, we will look further into the future to see what possibilities might exist for 2021. After that, a full-scale 2022 Open Cup is less than a year away.”
Last month, the committee approved a revised format for this year’s competition that would have included 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.
LouCity made it in the field as as an Eastern Conference finalist from last year’s USL Championship (Division II) season. El Paso Locomotive FC, Phoenix Rising FC and the Tampa Bay Rowdies were also in from the USL Championship and would have, as with LouCity, been expected to open the knockout competition against Major League Soccer opponents.
In its 108th year, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup – U.S. Soccer’s National Championship – is the only high-profile competition in American team sports where amateur sides face professionals in meaningful competition. The history-filled tournament, conducted on a single-game, knockout basis, is open to all professional and amateur teams affiliated with U.S. Soccer.
