# 2021 Sporting Kansas City season

The 2021 Sporting Kansas City season was the twenty-sixth season of the team's existence in Major League Soccer and the eleventh year played under the Sporting Kansas City moniker. The season began on April 17.

## Summary
### Preseason

Sporting KC players reported for a seven day quarantine period involving medical exams and testing on March 1. The team then trained for six weeks beginning on March 8 before the season started on April 17. Sporting KC began a one week voluntary training on March 1 before heading to Arizona on March 7. The team then began preseason training and played 4 preseason matches on March 13, March 20, March 24 and April 3 before returning to Kansas City on April 3.

## Roster

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality. Squad correct as of October 29, 2021.
| No. | Pos. | Player | Nation |
| 1 | GK | John Pulskamp | United States |
| 2 | DF | Jaylin Lindsey (HGP) | United States |
| 3 | DF | Andreu Fontas | Spain |
| 4 | DF | Roberto Punčec | Croatia |
| 5 | DF | Nicolas Isimat-Mirin | France |
| 6 | MF | Ilie Sánchez | Spain |
| 7 | FW | Johnny Russell (DP) | Scotland |
| 8 | DF | Graham Zusi | United States |
| 9 | FW | Alan Pulido (DP) | Mexico |
| 11 | FW | Khiry Shelton | United States |
| 13 | DF | Amadou Dia | United States |
| 15 | MF | Roger Espinoza | Honduras |
| 16 | DF | Graham Smith | United States |
| 17 | MF | Gadi Kinda | Israel |
| 19 | MF | Grayson Barber (HGP) | United States |
| 20 | FW | Dániel Sallói (HGP) | Hungary |
| 21 | MF | Felipe Hernandez (HGP) | Colombia |
| 22 | GK | Kendall McIntosh | United States |
| 23 | FW | Tyler Freeman (HGP) | United States |
| 25 | FW | Ozzie Cisneros (HGP) | United States |
| 28 | DF | Cameron Duke (HGP) | United States |
| 29 | GK | Tim Melia | United States |
| 31 | GK | Brooks Thompson (HGP) | United States |
| 32 | MF | Jose Mauri | Italy |
| 36 | DF | Luís Martins | Portugal |
| 54 | MF | Remi Walter | France |
| 96 | FW | Wilson Harris (HGP) | United States |

## Player movement
### In

Per Major League Soccer and club policies terms of the deals do not get disclosed.
| Date | Player | Position | Previous club | Fee/notes |
| October 21, 2020 | Wilson Harris | FW | Sporting Kansas City II | Homegrown Signing |
| December 17, 2020 | Kendall McIntosh | GK | New York Red Bulls | 2020 MLS Re-Entry Process Signing |
| December 22, 2020 | Remi Walter | MF | Yeni Malatyaspor | International Signing |
| January 20, 2021 | Grayson Barber | MF | Sporting Kansas City Academy | Homegrown Academy Signing |
| January 20, 2021 | Ozzie Cisneros | FW | Sporting Kansas City Academy | Homegrown Academy Signing |
| January 20, 2021 | Brooks Thompson | GK | Sporting Kansas City Academy | Homegrown Academy Signing |
| February 3, 2021 | Nicolas Isimat-Mirin | DF | Beşiktaş J.K. | International Signing |

#### Draft picks

Draft picks are not automatically signed to the team roster. Only trades involving draft picks and executed after the start of 2020 MLS SuperDraft will be listed in the notes.
| Round | Pick Number | Player | Position | School |
| 2 | 23 | Matt Constant | DF | University of North Carolina |
| 3 | 23 | Jamil Roberts | FW | Marshall University |

### Out

| Date | Player | Position | Destination club | Notes | Ref |

## Competitions
### Preseason

Kickoff times are in CDT (UTC-05) unless shown otherwise
Preseason schedule announced on March 1, 2021.

### MLS
#### Standings
##### Western Conference

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Colorado Rapids | 34 | 17 | 7 | 10 | 51 | 35 | +16 | 61 | Qualification for the Playoffs Conference semifinals and CONCACAF Champions League |
| 2 | Seattle Sounders FC | 34 | 17 | 8 | 9 | 53 | 33 | +20 | 60 | Qualification for the Playoffs first round and CONCACAF Champions League |
| 3 | Sporting Kansas City | 34 | 17 | 10 | 7 | 58 | 40 | +18 | 58 | Qualification for the Playoffs first round |
| 4 | Portland Timbers | 34 | 17 | 13 | 4 | 56 | 52 | +4 | 55 | Qualification for the Playoffs first round |
| 5 | Minnesota United FC | 34 | 13 | 11 | 10 | 42 | 44 | −2 | 49 | Qualification for the Playoffs first round |

##### Overall table

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 2 | Colorado Rapids | 34 | 17 | 7 | 10 | 51 | 35 | +16 | 61 | Qualification for the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League |
| 3 | Seattle Sounders FC | 34 | 17 | 8 | 9 | 53 | 33 | +20 | 60 | Qualification for the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League |
| 4 | Sporting Kansas City | 34 | 17 | 10 | 7 | 58 | 40 | +18 | 58 | |
| 5 | Portland Timbers | 34 | 17 | 13 | 4 | 56 | 52 | +4 | 55 | |
| 6 | Philadelphia Union | 34 | 14 | 8 | 12 | 48 | 35 | +13 | 54 | |
* ↑ As 2021 MLS Western Conference regular season champions (USA3)
* ↑ As highest-ranked U.S. based Division I club (based on 2021 MLS regular season record) not already qualified (USA4)

##### Results by round

| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 |
| Stadium | A | H | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | H | H | A | H | A | H | A | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | H | A | H | A | A | H | A | A | H |
| Result | W | D | L | W | L | W | W | W | D | L | W | W | W | D | W | L | W | D | W | D | D | D | L | W | W | L | W | W | L | W | W | L | L | L |

#### Match Results
### Leagues Cup
## Player statistics
### Squad appearances and goals

    Last updated on September 23, 2020.
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | Major League Soccer | Major League Soccer | US Open Cup | US Open Cup | Playoffs | Playoffs |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Goalkeepers ||||||||||||
| 22 | GK | USA | Kendall McIntosh | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 24 | GK | USA | John Pulskamp | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | GK | USA | Tim Melia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 31 | GK | USA | Brooks Thompson | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Defenders ||||||||||||
| 3 | DF | ESP | Andreu Fontas | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | CRO | Roberto Punčec | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | FRA | Nicolas Isimat-Mirin | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | DF | USA | Graham Zusi | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 13 | DF | USA | Amadou Dia | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | DF | USA | Graham Smith | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | DF | USA | Jaylin Lindsey | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 36 | DF | POR | Luís Martins | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Midfielders ||||||||||||
| 6 | MF | ESP | Ilie | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 10 | MF | USA | Gianluca Busio | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 15 | MF | HON | Roger Espinoza | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | MF | ISR | Gadi Kinda | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 19 | MF | USA | Grayson Barber | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | MF | COL | Felipe Hernandez | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 28 | MF | USA | Cameron Duke | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 54 | MF | FRA | Remi Walter | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Forwards ||||||||||||
| 7 | FW | SCO | Johnny Russell | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | MEX | Alan Pulido | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 11 | FW | USA | Khiry Shelton | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | FW | HUN | Dániel Sallói | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | FW | USA | Tyler Freeman | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 25 | FW | USA | Ozzie Cisneros | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 96 | FW | USA | Wilson Harris | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Players who have made an appearance or had a squad number this season but have left the club ||||||||||||
    0+1 means player did came on as a sub once. 1+1 means player started once and came on as a sub once.