With limited financial prospects and travel challenges, the U.S. Soccer’s Open Cup Committee decided to scrap a 2021 U.S. Open Cup competition and will look toward holding one later this year.
This comes after a decision last month to hold a scaled-down 2021 U.S. Open Cup competition that would have included a total of 16 teams with representation from each of the four divisions that normally compete in the tournament: Division I, Division II, Division III and the Open Division (encompassing all other affiliated teams and leagues).
“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 in a press statement. “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.”