2021 U.S. Open Cup qualification
The 2021 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup tournament proper was to feature teams from all five tiers of the men's American soccer pyramid.
| Dates | July 18, 2020 – May 2, 2021 | 
|---|---|
Qualification for the 2021 tournament was drastically altered due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The tournament itself was downsized to 16 teams, before ultimately being canceled for the second consecutive season due to the pandemic.
Major League Soccer
    
The top eight American-based teams based in the regular season standings after three weeks of the season, taken on a points-per-game (PPG) basis, were set to qualify for the tournament before its cancellation.[1] Qualification began on April 16, 2021, and concluded on May 2, 2021.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | PPG | Qualification | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Real Salt Lake | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 2 | +3 | 6 | 3.00 | 2021 U.S. Open Cup | 
| 2 | Seattle Sounders FC | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 1 | +7 | 7 | 2.33 | |
| 3 | New England Revolution | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 7 | 2.33 | |
| 4 | New York City FC | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 2 | +6 | 6 | 2.00 | |
| 5 | San Jose Earthquakes | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 4 | +4 | 6 | 2.00 | |
| 6 | Austin FC | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 6 | 2.00 | |
| 7 | LA Galaxy | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 7 | −1 | 6 | 2.00 | |
| 8 | Orlando City SC | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 5 | 1.67 | |
| 9 | Los Angeles FC | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 5 | 1.67 | |
| 10 | FC Dallas | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 | +1 | 4 | 1.33 | |
| 11 | Atlanta United FC | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 4 | 1.33 | |
| 12 | Inter Miami CF | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1.33 | |
| 13 | Houston Dynamo FC | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 1.33 | |
| 14 | Sporting Kansas City | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 5 | −1 | 4 | 1.33 | |
| 15 | Colorado Rapids | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 4 | 1.33 | |
| 16 | New York Red Bulls | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 1.00 | |
| 17 | Nashville SC | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 1.00 | |
| 18 | Columbus Crew SC | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1.00 | |
| 19 | Portland Timbers | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 6 | −3 | 3 | 1.00 | |
| 20 | D.C. United | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 6 | −3 | 3 | 1.00 | |
| 21 | Philadelphia Union | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | −3 | 1 | 0.33 | |
| 22 | Chicago Fire FC | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 7 | −4 | 1 | 0.33 | |
| 23 | FC Cincinnati | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 10 | −8 | 1 | 0.33 | |
| 24 | Minnesota United FC | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 7 | −6 | 0 | 0.00 | 
Rules for classification: 1) points per game; 2) goal differential per game; 3) goals scored per game; 4) disciplinary points per game; 5) away goal differential per away game; 6) away goals scored per away game; 7) home goal differential per home game; 8) home goals scored per home game; 9) coin toss or drawing of lots[2]
USL Championship
    
The four semifinalists from the USL Championship playoffs qualified. Qualification retroactively began on October 10, 2020, and ended on October 17, 2020.
Groups A and B
    
| Qualification semi-finals | Qualification finals | ||||||||
| A1 |  Reno 1868 | 4 | |||||||
| B2 |  LA Galaxy II | 1 | |||||||
| A1 |  Reno 1868 | 2 (4) | |||||||
| B1 |  Phoenix Rising (p) | 2 (5) | |||||||
| B1 |  Phoenix Rising (a.e.t.) | 1 | |||||||
| A2 |  Sacramento Republic | 0 | |||||||
Phoenix Rising qualify
Groups C and D
    
| Qualification semi-finals | Qualification finals | ||||||||
| C1 |  El Paso Locomotive (p) | 2 (4) | |||||||
| D2 |  FC Tulsa | 2 (2) | |||||||
| C1 |  El Paso Locomotive (p) | 1 (5) | |||||||
| C2 |  New Mexico United | 1 (3) | |||||||
| D1 |  San Antonio FC | 0 | |||||||
| C2 |  New Mexico United (a.e.t.) | 1 | |||||||
El Paso Locomotive qualify
Groups E and F
    
| Qualification semi-finals | Qualification finals | ||||||||
| E1 |  Louisville City | 2 | |||||||
| F2 |  Pittsburgh Riverhounds | 0 | |||||||
| E1 |  Louisville City | 2 | |||||||
| E2 |  Saint Louis FC | 0 | |||||||
| F1 |  Hartford Athletic | 0 | |||||||
| E2 |  Saint Louis FC | 1 | |||||||
Louisville City qualify
Groups G and H
    
| Qualification semi-finals | Qualification finals | ||||||||
| G1 |  Charlotte Independence | 1 | |||||||
| H2 |  Charleston Battery (a.e.t.) | 2 | |||||||
| H2 |  Charleston Battery | 0 | |||||||
| H1 |  Tampa Bay Rowdies | 1 | |||||||
| H1 |  Tampa Bay Rowdies | 4 | |||||||
| G2 |  Birmingham Legion | 2 | |||||||
Tampa Bay Rowdies qualify
Table
    
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 3 | +4 | 10 | Finalists; 2021 U.S. Open Cup | 
| 2 | Phoenix Rising | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 3 | +1 | 6 | |
| 3 | Louisville City | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | +3 | 6 | Semi-finalists; 2021 U.S. Open Cup | 
| 4 | El Paso Locomotive | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 3 | |
| 5 | Reno 1868 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 3 | +3 | 4 | Quarter-finalists | 
| 6 | New Mexico United | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 4 | |
| 7 | Charleston Battery | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 | |
| 8 | Saint Louis FC | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | −2 | 1 | |
| 9 | FC Tulsa | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | Round of 16 | 
| 10 | Charlotte Independence | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | −1 | 0 | |
| 11 | Sacramento Republic | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | −1 | 0 | |
| 12 | Hartford Athletic | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | −1 | 0 | |
| 13 | San Antonio FC | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | −1 | 0 | |
| 14 | Birmingham Legion | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | −2 | 0 | |
| 15 | Pittsburgh Riverhounds | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | −2 | 0 | |
| 16 | LA Galaxy II[lower-alpha 1] | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | −3 | 0 | 
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Away goals scored; 5) Wins; 6) Away wins; 7) Disciplinary points; 8) Drawing of lots (Regulations Article 12.11).
Notes:
- Professional teams that are owned by teams playing in a higher division are ineligible for the U.S. Open Cup.
Division III
    
    NISA
    
The NISA Fall Champion, Detroit City FC, retroactively qualified on October 2, 2020.
Bracket
    
| Semifinals September 30, 2020 | Finals October 2, 2020 | ||||||||
| A1 | Oakland Roots SC | 3 | |||||||
| B2 | Chattanooga FC | 2 | |||||||
| A1 | Oakland Roots SC | 1 | |||||||
| A2 | Detroit City FC | 2 | |||||||
| B1 | Los Angeles Force | 0 | |||||||
| A2 | Detroit City FC | 1 | |||||||
Bold = winner
* = after extra time, ( ) = penalty shootout score
Source: nisaofficial.com
Semifinals
    
| September 30, 2020 | Oakland Roots   | 3–2 |  Chattanooga FC | Hamtramck, Michigan | 
| 5:00pm (EDT) | NISA Report FotMob Report Broadcast | Stadium: Keyworth Stadium Attendance: 0 Referee: Samuel Pizzimenti | ||
| Note: Game was played behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic | ||||
| September 30, 2020 | Los Angeles Force   | 0–1 |  Detroit City | Hamtramck, Michigan | 
| 8:00pm (EDT) | NISA Report FotMob Report Broadcast | 
 | Stadium: Keyworth Stadium Attendance: 0 Referee: Carter Brochu | |
| Note: Game was played behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic | ||||
Final
    
| October 2, 2020 | Oakland Roots   | 1–2 |  Detroit City | Hamtramck, Michigan | 
| 6:00pm (EDT) | NISA Report FotMob Report Broadcast | 
 | Stadium: Keyworth Stadium Attendance: 0 Referee: Nicole Green | |
| Note: Game was played behind closed doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic | ||||
USL League One
    
The 2020 USL League One champion, Greenville Triumph SC qualified.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification | 
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Greenville Triumph SC | 16 | 11 | 3 | 2 | 24 | 11 | +13 | 35 | Final, 2021 U.S. Open Cup | 
| 2 | Union Omaha | 16 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 20 | 15 | +5 | 29 | Final | 
| 3 | North Texas SC[lower-alpha 1] | 16 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 27 | 19 | +8 | 27 | |
| 4 | Richmond Kickers | 16 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 22 | 22 | 0 | 26 | |
| 5 | Chattanooga Red Wolves SC | 15 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 21 | 17 | +4 | 22 | |
| 6 | FC Tucson | 16 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 21 | 19 | +2 | 22 | |
| 7 | Forward Madison FC | 16 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 20 | 14 | +6 | 21 | |
| 8 | Tormenta FC | 16 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 19 | 22 | −3 | 19 | |
| 9 | New England Revolution II[lower-alpha 1] | 16 | 5 | 8 | 3 | 19 | 26 | −7 | 18 | |
| 10 | Fort Lauderdale CF[lower-alpha 1] | 16 | 4 | 9 | 3 | 19 | 28 | −9 | 15 | |
| 11 | Orlando City B[lower-alpha 1] | 15 | 1 | 11 | 3 | 10 | 29 | −19 | 6 | 
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) total wins; 3) total goal differential; 4) total goals scored; 5) points earned against top four Conference finishers; 6) disciplinary points; 7) coin toss or drawing of lots
Notes:
- Professional teams that are owned by teams playing in a higher division are ineligible for the U.S. Open Cup.
Final
    
The game was canceled the day before because several Union Omaha players tested positive for COVID-19. Greenville was awarded the title based on points per game average (2.188 to 1.825), and reached the Open Cup.[3]
Open Division (IV and V)
    
Two slots will be selected from the Open Divisions:
- One Open Division Local Qualifier drawn randomly from among 12 eligible
- One National Premier Soccer League team drawn randomly from among 13 eligible
- One USL League Two team drawn randomly from among 10 eligible
- 2019 U.S. Adult Soccer Association National Amateur Cup champion Newtown Pride FC (Conn.)
The draw awarded the slots to Newtown Pride FC (NAC) and FC Golden State Force (USL2).
References
    
- "2021 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Qualification Announced". Major League Soccer. March 29, 2021. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
- "2021 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Qualification Announced". Major League Soccer. March 29, 2021. Retrieved May 2, 2021.
- "USL League One Final Cancelled, Greenville Named 2020 Title-Winners". USLLeagueOne.com. October 29, 2020. Retrieved October 29, 2020.


