Dates and Format Released for the 2021 Lower League eCup

by Joe Meyer

Dates and Format Released for the 2021 Lower League eCup

The 2021 Lower League eCup will commence on Tuesday, January 12. The tournament will take place over the course of five weeks, culminating in the final on Sunday, February 17.

The 2021 eCup has been reduced by three weeks in length to maintain a level of accessibility and flexibility as circumstances and COVID-19 regulations have changed since the previous tournament. “We believe that a shorter tournament will allow our players, supporters, and clubs to uphold their commitments to the eCup, as well as their daily lives,” stated Lower League eCup President Joe Meyer.

FORMAT

In 2021, the group stage will consist of groups of four clubs. Each player/club will play one match against the opponents in their respective groups for a total of three group stage matches. The average amount of matches will decrease from six matches in 2020 to four matches in 2021, and approximately 80% of players will conclude the tournament by February 8th.

Following the group stage, the top two clubs from each group, as well as the top-third place finishers, will advance to the knockout stage. For the 2021 eCup, the knockout stage will consist of approximately 48 clubs per console (Playstation and Xbox), with the exact field size to be determined.

In addition, as previously announced on Friday, October 16, the eCup will feature a second division for supporters and club staff who are not representing a club in the first division, with the intent of providing more opportunities for supporters of grassroots soccer to connect through FIFA.

TOURNAMENT DATES

  • Registration -  Sunday, November 1 to Tuesday, December 15

  • Group Stage - Tuesday, January 12 to Sunday, January 31

  • First and Second Rounds*** - Thursday, February 4 to Monday, February 8

  • Quarterfinals and Round of 16*** - Thursday, February 11 to Monday, February 15

  • Semifinals - Wednesday, February 17 to Friday, February 19

  • Finals - Sunday, February 21

*** = Players and clubs will play their first and second-round matches on the same night. The Round of 16 and Quarterfinals will also be played as a back-to-back doubleheader the following week.

CONTACT

Joe Meyer | President, Lower League eCup

Email: president@lowerleagueEcup.com