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2021 Major League Soccer season

26th season of Major League Soccer From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

2021 Major League Soccer season
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The 2021 Major League Soccer season was the 26th season of Major League Soccer (MLS), the top professional soccer league in the United States and Canada. The 2021 season included the addition of Austin FC as an expansion club, which took the league to 27 teams.

Quick facts Season, Dates ...

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the season was originally scheduled to begin on April 3, as opposed to the normal late February or early March start. This was later pushed back to April 16, the latest ever start to an MLS season, due to negotiations with the MLS Players Association for a new collective bargaining agreement.[1] The regular season concluded on November 7. The 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs began on November 20, and concluded with MLS Cup 2021 on December 11.[2]

At the beginning of the season, COVID-19 cross-border restrictions imposed by the Canadian government has also made the Canadian teams to play their home matches in the United States from the start of the season, while also sharing stadiums with other American MLS teams. On July 14, MLS announced that a select Toronto FC and CF Montréal matches would be played in Canada while working with the Canadian government on how the matches were to be held. Nearly a week later, the MLS announced that the Canadian teams would play home matches in Canada in August 2021.[3]

The Columbus Crew were the defending champions, having defeated Seattle Sounders FC in MLS Cup 2020 but was eliminated from playoffs during the regular season, while the Philadelphia Union were the defending Supporters' Shield winners. The New England Revolution won their first Supporters' Shield, in the process breaking the record for most regular season points collected.[4] New York City FC won their first ever MLS Cup, beating Portland Timbers in the decider.

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Teams

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Stadiums and locations

  1. ^
    Non-soccer specific stadium and artificially reduced capacity.
  2. ^
    Some of the home matches were played at Red Bull Arena at Harrison due to scheduling conflicts at Yankee Stadium.
  3. ^
    Temporary stadium.
  4. ^
    CF Montréal played at DRV PNK Stadium, Fort Lauderdale since the start of the season due to COVID-19 travel restrictions in Canada before returning to playing home matches in Montreal on July 17. A small number of matches were also played in different stadiums due to scheduling conflicts with the 2021 CONCACAF Gold Cup qualification.
  5. ^
    Toronto FC played at Exploria Stadium, Orlando from the start of the season due to COVID-19 travel restrictions in Canada before returning playing home matches in Toronto on July 17.
  6. ^
    Vancouver Whitecaps FC played at Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy for the start of the season due to COVID-19 travel restrictions in Canada before returning playing home matches in Vancouver on August 21.
  7. ^
    Columbus Crew played at Historic Crew Stadium from the start of the season before moving into Lower.com Field on July 3.

Personnel and sponsorship

Note: All teams use Adidas as universal kit manufacturer.

More information Team, Head coach ...

Coaching changes

More information Team, Outgoing coach ...
  1. Pérez was initially appointed as interim manager,[14] but the move was made permanent on August 9, 2021.[15]
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Regular season

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Format

Each team played 34 matches, including 17 home games and 17 away games. Due to the difference in the number of teams in each conference, each conference had its own schedule construction format:[26]

  • All 14 Eastern Conference teams played six regional Eastern Conference opponents three times and the remaining seven Eastern Conference opponents twice. Each of them also played two cross conference games against different opponents.
  • 11 out of the 13 Western Conference teams played eight regional Western Conference opponents three times and the remaining four Western Conference opponents twice. Each of them also played two cross conference games against different opponents.
  • The remaining two teams from the Western Conference played seven Western Conference opponents three times and the remaining five Western Conference opponents twice. Each of them also played three cross conference games against different opponents.

Tiebreakers

Conference standings

Eastern Conference

More information Pos, Pld ...
Source: MLS
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) total wins; 3) total goal differential; 4) total goals scored; 5) fewer disciplinary points; 6) away goal differential; 7) away goals scored; 8) home goals differential; 9) home goals scored; 10) coin toss (2 clubs tied) or drawing of lots (≥3 clubs tied)
(C) Champions
Notes:
  1. As MLS Cup 2021 champions
  2. Canadian clubs cannot qualify for the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League through the MLS regular season or playoffs.

Western Conference

More information Pos, Pld ...
Source: MLS
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) total wins; 3) total goal differential; 4) total goals scored; 5) fewer disciplinary points; 6) away goal differential; 7) away goals scored; 8) home goals differential; 9) home goals scored; 10) coin toss (2 clubs tied) or drawing of lots (≥3 clubs tied)
Notes:
  1. Canadian clubs cannot qualify for the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League through the MLS regular season or playoffs.

Overall table

The leading team in this table wins the Supporters' Shield.

More information Pos, Pld ...
Source: MLS
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) total wins; 3) total goal differential; 4) total goals scored; 5) fewer disciplinary points; 6) away goal differential; 7) away goals scored; 8) home goals differential; 9) home goals scored; 10) coin toss (2 clubs tied) or drawing of lots (≥3 clubs tied)
(C) Champions; (S) Supporters' Shield winners; (V) Canadian Championship winner
Notes:
  1. As Supporters' Shield winners (USA2)
  2. As highest-ranked U.S. based Division I club (based on 2021 MLS regular season record) not already qualified (USA4)[28]
  3. As MLS Cup 2021 champions (USA1)
  4. As 2021 Canadian Championship winners (CAN1)

Fixtures and results

All cross-conference matches are shown on the Eastern Conference table. In some cases, a team hosted another more than once; in this case, the first matchup is listed on top and the second is listed below.

Eastern Conference

More information Home \ Away, ATL ...
Source: MLS
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Western Conference

More information Home \ Away, ATX ...
Source: MLS
Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

MLS All-Star Game

More information 1–1, Liga MX All-Stars ...
Attendance: 21,000
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MLS Cup Playoffs

Bracket

First round
November 20–21, 23
Conference semifinals
November 25, 28, 30
Conference finals
December 4–5
MLS Cup
December 11
            
E1 New England Revolution 2 (3)
E4 New York City FC (p) 2 (5)
E4 New York City FC 2
E5 Atlanta United FC 0
E4 New York City FC 2
Eastern Conference
E2 Philadelphia Union 1
E3 Nashville SC 3
E6 Orlando City SC 1
E3 Nashville SC 1 (0)
E2 Philadelphia Union (p) 1 (2)
E2 Philadelphia Union (a.e.t.) 1
E7 New York Red Bulls 0
E4 New York City FC (p) 1 (4)
W4 Portland Timbers 1 (2)
W1 Colorado Rapids 0
W4 Portland Timbers 1
W4 Portland Timbers 3
W5 Minnesota United FC 1
W4 Portland Timbers 2
Western Conference
W7 Real Salt Lake 0
W3 Sporting Kansas City 3
W6 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 1
W3 Sporting Kansas City 1
W7 Real Salt Lake 2
W2 Seattle Sounders FC 0 (5)
W7 Real Salt Lake (p) 0 (6)

Note: The higher seeded teams hosted matches, with the MLS Cup host determined by overall points.

COVID-19 restrictions

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From the start of the season, all Canadian teams played home matches behind closed doors at venues in a U.S. market (notwithstanding any local regulations otherwise allowing spectators) due to Canadian border restrictions.[29][30]

On July 14, MLS announced that both CF Montreal and Toronto FC planned to return to playing matches at their home stadiums beginning July 17, citing new policies allowing vaccinated individuals to enter the country without 14 days self-isolation, provided that they test negative on a COVID-19 test. Unvaccinated individuals must still self-isolate, but a member of the MLS Players Association stated that nearly 95% of the league's player pool had been vaccinated, and Toronto FC manager Ali Curtis stated that all but two of their players were fully vaccinated. Toronto FC planned to admit 7,000 essential workers for the first match before expanding to 15,000 for subsequent matches, and CF Montreal planned to admit 5,000.[30][31] However, Sportsnet reported that the plans had not yet been formally approved by the Public Health Agency of Canada, and that the Canadian government was expected to issue a statement on the matter.[31]

More information Team, Spectators ...
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Attendance

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Average home attendances

As of November 7, 2021

Games without fans are not counted in averages or games played. Additionally, multiple games (above all the NYCFC games at Yankee Stadium) did not have their attendance listed and are also not counted in averages or games played.

More information Rank, Team ...

Highest attendances

Regular season

More information Rank, Home team ...
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Player movement

The 2020 MLS Expansion Draft was held on December 15, 2020, at 10:00 am (EST).[67]

Player statistics

Goals

Hat-tricks

More information Player, For ...

Assists

Clean sheets

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Awards

Individual awards

Player / Team of the Week

  • Bold denotes League Player of the Week.
More information Team of the Week, Week ...

Goal of the Week

Player of the Month

More information Month, Player ...

Best XI

More information Goalkeeper, Defenders ...
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Notes

  1. Appointed as temporary head coach after Peter Vermes tested positive for COVID-19.

References

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