2001 Major League Soccer season
The 2001 Major League Soccer season was shortened due to the September 11 attacks, with the final weeks' regular season matches canceled.
The playoffs, however, were played, and the San Jose Earthquakes won their first MLS Cup.
Standings
- Top eight teams with the highest points per game clinch playoff berth, regardless of division.
- Miami Fusion F.C. wins first tiebreaker with Chicago Fire
- Columbus Crew wins first tiebreaker with San Jose Earthquakes
- Season shortened due to September 11 attacks. Due to the different number of games played, playoff ordering determined by points per game, instead of total points.
- Dallas Burn finishes ahead of Kansas City Wizards in points per game
MLS Cup Playoffs
Playoff Bracket
- Points system
Loss = 0 Pts.
Draw = 1 Pt.
- ASDET*=Added Sudden Death Extra Time
Teams will advance at 5 points.
Quarterfinals
Chicago Fire advance 7–1 on points.----
Miami Fusion advance 6–3 on points.
----
Los Angeles Galaxy advance 1-0 in series overtime after 4-4 tie on points.
----
San Jose Earthquakes advance 6–0 on points.
Semifinals
----Los Angeles Galaxy advance 7–1 on points.
----
San Jose Earthquakes advance 6–3 on points.
MLS Cup
- San Jose Earthquakes earns MLS berth to CONCACAF Champions' Cup 2002.
- D.C. United, Chicago Fire and Kansas City Wizards qualify for CONCACAF Champions' Cup 2001.
Player awards
| Award | Player | Club |
| Most Valuable Player |  Alex Pineda Chacon | Miami Fusion |
| Scoring Champion | Alex Pineda Chacon | Miami Fusion |
| Defender of the Year |  Jeff Agoos | San Jose Earthquakes |
| Goalkeeper of the Year | Tim Howard | MetroStars |
| Rookie of the Year |  Rodrigo Faria | MetroStars |
| Coach of the Year |  Frank Yallop | San Jose Earthquakes |
| Comeback Player of the Year | Troy Dayak | San Jose Earthquakes |
| Goal of the Year | Clint Mathis | MetroStars |
| Fair Play Award | Alex Pineda Chacon | Miami Fusion |
| Humanitarian of the Year | Tim Howard | MetroStars |
Player statistics
Top goal scorers
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals |
| 1 | Alex Pineda Chacon | Miami Fusion F.C. | 19 |
| 2 |  Diego Serna | Miami Fusion F.C. | 15 |
| 3 |  John Spencer | Colorado Rapids | 14 |
 Abdul Thompson Conteh | D.C. United | 14 | |
| 5 |  Ronald Cerritos | San Jose Earthquakes | 11 |
 Ariel Graziani | Dallas Burn | 11 | |
| 7 | Jeff Cunningham | Columbus Crew | 10 |
| Eric Wynalda* | Chicago Fire | 10 | |
| 9 |  Mamadou Diallo | Tampa Bay Mutiny | 9 |
| 10 |  Jaime Moreno | D.C. United | 9 |
Played for more than one team - Most Recent Team Listed*
Attendance
| Club | Games | Season | Game Avg. |
| D.C. United | 12 | 258,213 | 21,518 |
| MetroStars | 13 | 270,477 | 20,806 |
| Columbus Crew | 13 | 227,644 | 17,511 |
| Los Angeles Galaxy | 13 | 226,035 | 17,387 |
| Colorado Rapids | 13 | 214,249 | 16,481 |
| Chicago Fire | 14 | 229,438 | 16,388 |
| New England Revolution | 13 | 203,501 | 15,654 |
| Dallas Burn | 13 | 163,465 | 12,574 |
| Miami Fusion | 14 | 156,481 | 11,177 |
| Kansas City Wizards | 13 | 142,402 | 10,954 |
| Tampa Bay Mutiny | 14 | 146,704 | 10,479 |
| San Jose Earthquakes | 13 | 125,250 | 9,635 |
| OVERALL | 158 | 2,363,859 | 14,961 |
International Competition
CONCACAF Champions' Cup- Kansas City Wizards
- Chicago Fire
Copa Merconorte
- MetroStars
Defeated Deportivo Italchacao, 2-0 at home.
Awarded two forfeit wins against
Club Deportivo Guadalajara, after the club refused to travel.
Lost Deportivo Italchacao, 2-1 away.
Lost Millonarios, 2-1 away and 1-0 at home.
- Kansas City Wizards
Defeated Barcelona, 3-2 away, Drew 1-1 at home.
Lost Santos Laguna, 4-2 away and 1-0 at home.
Lost Sporting Cristal, 2-1 at home and 2-1 away.
CONCACAF Giants Cup
- D.C. United
Defeated Comunicaciones, 2-1 in semifinals.
Lost Club América, 2-0 in final.
- Columbus Crew