2021 in association football

The following are the football (soccer) events in the year 2021 around the world.

Events

January
January 15: Wayne Rooney retires from professional football. He has played for Everton, Manchester United, and the English national team. After he retired, he became the manager of EFL Championship club .
January 21: The 2021 MLS SuperDraft happens.
January 26:  Ashley Williams retires from professional football. He has played for Stockport County, Swansea City, Everton, and .
January 29:Saïd Benrahma signs for West Ham United from Brentford for €23 million. This is the most expensive transfer in Winter 2021. 
January 30: The 2020 Copa Libertadores Final was played. Palmeiras beat Santos 1-0 at the Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, .

February
February 10: Ron Vlaar retires from professional football. He has played for AZ Alkmaar, Feyenoord, Aston Villa and the Dutch national team
February 11: The 2020 FIFA Club World Cup Final will be played. Bayern Munich beat Tigres UANL 1-0 at the Education City Stadium in Al Rayyan, .
February 15: 1978 FIFA World Cup winner Leopoldo Luque passes away. He dies due to COVID-19
February 17: The 2020–21 UEFA Youth League is cancelled by the UEFA Executive Committee.
February 21: The Nepal Super League is founded. It is the first professional league in 
February 23: Football Australia and the Qatar Football Association announce that  and  would withdraw from the 2021 Copa América.
February 28: 2020 Chinese Super League champions Jiangsu F.C. is dissolved.
Date Unknown: FC Gorodeya are dissolved.

March
March 4: Hammarby Talang FF is created. It is the feeder club of Hammarby IF.
March 6: Rangers become the 2020–21 Scottish Premiership champions. This is their first Scottish Premiership title, and 55th Scottish title.
March 11: The 2020 Canadian Championship Final is postponed. This resulted in Toronto FC qualifying for the 2021 CONCACAF Champions League,
March 18: The 2020 CONCACAF Men's Olympic Qualifying Championship begins. In the opening match, the  beat  1-0 at the Estadio Jalisco, in Guadalajara, .
March 20: Taizhou Yuanda F.C. is dissolved.
March 24: The first of 2022 World Cup qualifying for Europe begins. In the opening match,  beat  4-2 at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium, in Istanbul, .
March 24: The 2  opening matches of the 2021 U-21 European Championship happens. In the first match,  beat  3-0 at the Stadion Ljudski vrt in Maribor, . In the other match,  drew 1-1 against the  at the Stadion Z'dežele in Celje, .
March 28: The 2020 CONCACAF Men's Olympic Qualifying Championship semi-finals were played.  beat the  1-0, and  beat  2-0.  and  qualified for the 2020 Summer Olympics. Both matches were played at the Estadio Jalisco in Guadalajara, .

April
April 9: The 2021 Copa Libertadores group stage draw will be made.
April 18: The European Super League is founded. The proposal was cancelled after 2 days.
April 21: Schalke 04 are officially relegated to the 2. Bundesliga. This is their 1st relegation since the 1980-81 season.

May
May 12: Antonio Valencia retires. He has played for El Nacional, Wigan Athletic, Manchester United, LDU Quito, Querétaro, and the Ecuadorian national team.
May 15: The 2021 FA Cup Final was played. Leicester City beat Chelsea 1-0 at Wembley Stadium in London, .
May 19: FC Tambov is dissolved.
May 26: The 2021 UEFA Europa League Final was played. Villarreal drew 1-1 against Manchester United (Villarreal won 11-10 in a penalty shootout) at the Stadion Miejski in Gdańsk, .
May 29: The 2021 UEFA Champions League Final was played. Chelsea beat Manchester City 1-0 at the Estádio do Dragão in Porto, .

June
June 1: Botev Plovdiv II is founded. It is the reserve team of Botev Plovdiv.
June 11: The opening match of UEFA Euro 2020 was played.  beat  3-0 at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome, .
June 12: Christian Eriksen collapses on the pitch during 's Euro 2020 match against .
June 13: The opening match of the 2021 Copa América was played.  beat  3-0 at the Estádio Nacional Mané Garrincha in Brasília, .
June 21: Liga I team FC Viitorul Constanța merges with FC Farul Constanța.
June 21: Club Raya2 Expansión is founded. It is the reserve team of Monterrey.

July
July 5: Dayot Upamecano signs for Bayern Munich from RB Leipzig for €42.5million. This is currently the most expensive transfer in 2021.
July 6: The first ever UEFA Europa Conference League match was played. Mosta FC beat Spartak Trnava 3-2 at the Centenary Stadium in Ta' Qali, .
July 10: The 2021 Copa América Final was played.  beat  1-0 at the Estádio do Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro, .
July 11: The UEFA Euro 2020 Final was played.  drew 1-1 against  ( won 3-2 on penalties) at Wembley Stadium in London, .

Date Unknown
Bourges Foot 18 is founded. It was created due to a merger of Bourges 18 and Bourges Foot.
The Premier League Hall of Fame is created.

Upcoming events

July
July 21: The Women's tournament at the 2020 Summer Olympics begin. The match will be played between  and  The match will be played at the Sapporo Dome in Sapporo, .
July 22: The Men's tournament at the 2020 Summer Olympics begin. The match will be played between  and . The match will be played at the Sapporo Dome in Sapporo, .

October
October 10: The 2021 UEFA Nations League Final will be played. It will be played at the San Siro in Milan, .

November
November 10: The 2021 Copa Libertadores Final will be played.

Unknown date
The 2021 South American U-17 Championship will happen. It will happen in .
The 2021 South American U-20 Championship will happen. It will be hosted in .

Tournament winners

International

Youth international

Continental

UEFA

CONMEBOL

Notes

Births and deaths

Deaths

References

 
Years in association football