2021 season | |||
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Investor-operators | Dee and Jimmy Haslam JW and Whitney Johnson Dr. Pete Edwards | ||
Head coach | Caleb Porter | ||
Stadium | Historic Crew Stadium (until June 19, 2021) Lower.com Field (since July 3, 2021) | ||
Major League Soccer | Conference: 9th Overall: 17th | ||
U.S. Open Cup | Canceled | ||
CONCACAF Champions League | Quarter-finals | ||
Campeones Cup | Winners | ||
Top goalscorer | League: Lucas Zelarayán (12) All: Lucas Zelarayán (13) | ||
Highest home attendance | 20,407 (7/3 vs. NE) | ||
Lowest home attendance | 16,676 (10/27 vs. ORL) | ||
Average home league attendance | 18,990 (Post Covid Limits) | ||
Biggest win | League / All: RE 0–4 CLB (4/8, CCL) CLB 4–0 MIA (10/16) | ||
Biggest defeat | League/All: NYCFC 4–1 CLB (7/30) MON 3–0 CLB (5/5, CCL) PHI 3–0 CLB (10/3) | ||
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The 2021 Columbus Crew season was the club's twenty-sixth season of existence and their twenty-sixth consecutive season in Major League Soccer, the top flight of American soccer. The season covers the period from December 13, 2020, to November 7, 2021. It is the third season under head coach Caleb Porter.
The 2021 season sees Columbus defending their 2020 MLS Cup championship, as well as the opening of Lower.com Field, the club's new downtown stadium. They hosted the 2021 Campeones Cup against Cruz Azul, the winner of the Liga MX's Campeón de Campeones winning 2–0. The club also participated in the CONCACAF Champions League, their first appearance since the 2010–11 tournament.
The team began playing the season under the name Columbus Crew SC until a rebrand on May 10, 2021, after which the name was changed to Columbus SC. However, after criticism over the rebrand was spurred by its fans, the club announced that it would return to its original name. The "SC" was dropped and the club was once again the Columbus Crew.[1][2]
This was the last season in which Columbus Crew played at Historic Crew Stadium, where the team played their final match against the Chicago Fire on June 19, 2021, with a 2–0 win.[3] The team then moved to Lower.com Field near downtown Columbus, where they would play their first match at the new stadium against the New England Revolution with a 2–2 draw on July 3, 2021.[4][5]